Free Falling
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: In one afternoon, twenty eight year old Tony witnesses his life transform from that of a Baltimore policeman with no attachments into a responsible family man with too many obligations to count. This is part of my Fate series.
1. All By Himself

All By Himself

Pretending to catch a football lobbed to him from his partner Danny, Tony sprinted his way into the squad room and comically threw himself down in his desk chair, sprawling like an overgrown ragdoll.

Danny Price, his partner and buddy, followed directly behind him and collapsed as well, grinning at his buddy as he caught his breath.

Noting the noisy entrance, Trayson Gates, a beat policeman, crossed the room and sang out warningly. "Yo- Tony, Captain says he wants to see you now." To emphasize the importance of the command, he motioned emphatically, thumb pointed towards the glassed office assigned to their boss.

Tony cast a questioning glance at Danny, who raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders in response, admitting his confusion over the request. Neither could guess the purpose of the summons.

Ok, then.

Straightening his shoulders, Tony raked his hands through his hair. Normally brown, his recent vacation in Mexico had lightened it blond throughout, and combined with his tan, he resembled a surfer. Certainly his physique supported the athletic, outdoorsy look. At over six feet, muscled, with sparkling green eyes framed by long lashes, he never failed to turn female heads.

They always wanted a second look.

Despite masculine competition, he remained popular with males because of his athletic prowess. No matter the game, they could count on Tony to participate, and to play well.

Tony knocked softly on the glassed window by the door, and waited for permission before proceeding.

His captain was not alone when he entered. Beside him sat Tobias Fornell of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), a good friend of his dad's. Another man stood to shake hands, and introduced himself as Matthew Forbes of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Ushered to a seat, Tony perched nervously on the edge of his chair, and his curiosity got the better of him. "Captain, what kind of trouble am I in?"

The three men laughed loudly, and Tony nervously joined in with them.

Fornell finally waved them to silence and reminded the others that Tony had voiced a legitimate question. He, Tobias Fornell, had watched the boy grow, and could assure the rest of the room that because of Tony's curiosity, Jethro Gibbs had his hands full as Tony's father.

The nervousness abated as the men put him at ease, and DEA Agent Forbes addressed him. "Son, what do you know about Athens, Georgia?"

Tony brightened, "You did identify Athens, Georgia, right? What kind of question did you need to ask? Football- football and sports aficionados across the whole United States respect Vince Dooley's coaching and those Georgia Bulldogs, a great team right alongside another Southern one, the Ole Miss Rebels. Then music wise, just in the past few years Athens nurtured for us the talent of REM and the B52's. The University of Georgia there holds the title of the oldest land grant college in the United States. I remember that from American History in tenth grade. My advisor at Ohio State told me it had proved itself a leader in its research and in its business school. Oh, wait! Let's not forget the beauty of those Southern females- all magnolia blossom beauty layered over fearless femme fatales. Besides that, buddies of mine tell me the city itself is stunning, a great place just for the landscape." Pleased that he could recite so much information, Tony smirked and executed a bow from his seat.

"Right," Forbes confirmed, but let the rest of the sentence dangle.

It created an awkward silence.

He turned to Fornell expectantly.

A bit worried then, Tony licked his lips and slid back in his chair, resting his hands on his thighs and tapping his fingers to calm himself.

The strategy also released some of his pent up extra energy.

After an interminable wait, the conference began. Fornell kicked off with the purpose of the command audience powwow, but Tony's captain and Forbes interjected comments, and eventually, the three men joined voices.

All assured him that they shared the same motivation in speaking with him.

The FBI, DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), and NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) currently worked a case which thus far, spanned a couple of years. One nasty drug cartel run by homegrown criminals operated a pipeline which ran through most of the midsection of the country. The DEA had designated the cartel the Black Widow Cartel because of the frequency with which its own workers turned against and killed one another.

The government agencies frothed at the bit to shut down the operation, an insidious one which muscled its way into the heroin, pcp, and meth markets. They finally caught a break. Six months earlier the DEA had apprehended and managed to crack a mid level operative ensconced in the cartel, and through him, had begun to make inroads both up and down the cartel's chain of command.

The FBI teamed with the DEA once evidence surfaced that the cartel had kidnapped and murdered a number of lesser drug lords. Not long after merging the bureaus executed a bust which roped in three Marines, specifically two corporals and a sergeant, a Navy seaman, and a Navy petty officer, adjunct cartel players who had worked to distribute the drugs throughout their respective Bases.

From those five arrests, the enforcement agencies staged a series of raids which crippled, but did not annihilate, the cartel's drug operation. However, within the resultant spoils, agents managed to lean on the prisoners enough to obtain details of future hits, past hits, and the targets of hits.

Listening intently, Tony synthesized the details, storing his inquiries to ask at the end.

The Black Widow Cartel would topple, the men assured Tony, but not for another couple of months. Enough damage had ensued to knock the foundation out from under it.

In the interim, they admitted, new considerations arose. Now, for example, they addressed the practicalities of ensuring the safety of innocent victims to the whole illegal operation, the fallout victims.

That, they stressed, counted as the sole motive for their meeting with him.

Governmental agencies requested his help. Their represented governmental agencies requested his help.

Finding himself suddenly expected to speak, the young policeman immediately voiced his cooperation, but admitted that he could not ascertain a way in which way he could help.

Straightening, his captain fixed his gaze upon Tony, and stood and stretched before grabbing a thick file folder off of his desk. Sliding around the perimeter, he perched on the edge of the desk and soundlessly handed it to Tony.

Cracking it open, Tony focused upon the contents.

A photograph of a young boy took up all of the inside cover. The first adjective Tony's brain registered was haunting. Dark brown hair best defined as unkempt obscured parts of his thin face, while eyes a medium blue reflected an incomparable sadness, or perhaps hurt.

Tony glanced up and stared at the window several seconds, channeling his impressions.

Regarding the photo a second time he confirmed his earlier first adjective, but added devastated as a second.

Devastating and haunting- that packed a wallop when describing a child.

He pursed his lips and sucked in a deep breath. The boy's image stopped at the waist, but Tony sized up the little figure as lithe and tall, though considerably underweight.

Setting the open file down in his lap, Tony prodded his superior. "Ok, Captain, talk to me now. You have my undivided attention."

"That young man just passed his ninth birthday, and I need to add that the past few birthdays occurred with him homeless. Notice his clothes? When authorities located the kid, what you see there in the shot is all the clothing he had."

Taking a closer look at the photo, Tony tapped a finger against the boy's eyebrow. "I see a thin scar right above his eyebrow. What happened there? Abuse?"

"No, not at all," the Captain contradicted. "That scar, though, gave NCIS the confirmation in identifying him within a group of other kids."

"Read me in on him," Tony directed, pivoting in his seat to look from the Captain to Fornell and then to Forbes. "Why did you give me this file? Tell me the angle, ok?"

Instead of answering immediately, Fornell rubbed his chin and countered, "Let me ask you something. Looking at the boy, Tony, what do you see there? What's the first blush?"

A response came without hesitation. "Someone who needs some socio economic help, a child lacking basic needs."

"Ok, now let me introduce you." Fornell turned his chair so that he faced Tony. "As you hear it, though, I want you to compare this boy's life to your own, his situation to the advantages and love you have received all these years. Plant yourself in the kid's shoes."

Scooting back in his chair, Tony nodded rapidly.

"First of all, let me hold off on supplying you with the name, because the boy entered witness protection some time back, and we lost track of him for a period of time. Not that we don't trust you, but he has another name on the horizon. This little chap's father worked as a minor player, a small time drug dealer in Arizona who had the Black Widow Cartel providing his salary, though he worked off and on legitimately as a musician. The wife stumbled across evidence of his criminal life, divorced him, and took their only child, then three years old, with her. They moved in with family in Washington State, devastating our dealer, according to the intelligence gathered. After a year, though, the longing for the wife and son proved overpowering. Aware he had to prove he had chosen a different life to have the woman fall back into his arms, he approached the local police, turned state's evidence, and ratted out what he knew of the cartel."

Fornell paused there and took a deep breath, randomly focusing on a spider navigating her web in the corner of the ceiling. "So the Black Widow group waited until he led them to the wife and kid before blowing him away, execution style."

Tony felt his stomach lurch, his emotions exploding. He bit the side of his lip to keep himself quiet until the biographical sketch concluded.

Glancing back down at the boy's photo, he used a finger to smooth over the forehead.

Forbes stood and stretched at the waist before he pointed towards the file. "Good news is that Washington troopers got to the wife and kid in time and took them into protective custody. It spooked her so badly, though, that she hit the road with the boy the second she could give them the slip, and took a series of waitressing jobs from California to Kansas. As soon as she felt she had them safe, kaput! Along the way the cartel sent her little reminders to let her know they had her and the boy in their sights. The mental anguish alone just devastated her, as can be imagined, fighting to keep them going and realizing she couldn't outrun a cartel out for vengeance."

Tony asked, "Why did they let them slide, threaten instead of just going ahead and killing them right away?"

Forbes leaned against the filing cabinet. "Yeah, well, that would hide behind door number one, the million dollar question. Why? We concluded that the cartel's head honcho kingpin enjoyed the psychological torment, that the cat and mouse approach probably entertained him. He'd certainly earned a reputation as a sadist. Eventually she settled in Shawnee, but could not support them, failed to earn a living. At that point her mental state disintegrated and she turned to drugs. How ironic is that? They ended up homeless, one of a group of homeless souls in the area. Our wife and mother, well she overdosed on heroin."

A silence enveloped the three listeners, along with the narrator, a posthumous show of respect for the deceased woman.

She had fought and lost.


	2. Moral Fortitude

Moral Fortitude

The phone on the desk shrilled, blasting the climate.

All four jumped slightly, but recovered quickly, not without glancing self consciously at each other, however.

The Captain barked into the receiver, clearly angry at the interruption. He slammed down the phone and waved his hand in annoyance, dismissing the call. "Could have waited. Go ahead with the end."

"Please tell me the kid survived," Tony pled.

Fornell stood up and paced from one end of the room to the other. "Tony, yes, the boy survived because not twenty four hours before overdosing, the mother showed up at the local Shawnee police precinct and demanded to speak with a detective. They obliged her, and she confided the whole background, despite obviously narrating the story while under the influence of drugs. As she talked they confirmed the facts, and promised her that they could help her and the boy stay safe."

Surprisingly, Fornell's voice suddenly caught, and Tony jerked his head sharply to assess his father's friend. This Fornell was unchartered territory and Tony could not remember a time that he had seen the older man respond that way, clearly experiencing trouble reining in his emotion.

Fornell pursed his lips, evidently getting himself under control.

"Anyway," he rasped before clearing his throat. "Anyway, she agreed, and even requested substance abuse treatment once she and the boy got settled. She refused to let them drive or accompany her to where she stayed, afraid that the cartel would immediately kill them if they saw a police tail. The last time the department saw her alive, she arranged to return with her son the next afternoon. I don't know why she begged for help that particular day. Maybe she experienced some kind of premonition or spiritual event and sensed her own death. Going to the police provided her with an avenue to save her son."

Forbes interjected, "The medical examiner could not determine whether she self injected the heroin or if the cartel got to her and did it for her."

"The cartel scoured the place trying to locate the kid, but the homeless community, no pun intended, rallied to protect him. They handed him off to the police for protection nearly a year ago." Fornell stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Tony clenched his jaw. That unlucky little boy had lost everything he knew, and still had a price on his innocent head.

Tony's concern weighted each word of the request. "Then what happened to him?"

"Since then he has called five foster homes his residence."

"Five," Tony sputtered. "Five in a year? What kind of stable homes is the Department of Family and Children Services making available?"

"Not DFACS, not the Department's fault about the instability," the Captain contradicted. "The kid's behavior sabotages any chances of living in a foster home for more than a few weeks. According to the agency, the common complaint is incorrigible behavior foster parents can not manage."

"Yeah, and those particular foster homes are actually residences of other families in witness protection. Until we finally implode the cartel, he can not go to mom's family, though they have expressed that they want him badly."

Tony absorbed the analysis, began to speak, then stopped himself. Processing the tragedy encountered in that child's short life just electrified his emotions. Staring down at the file in his lap he gathered control of his feelings before finally looking back up to confirm, "What motive do all of you have in making me privy to this child's story?"

The three men exchanged glances, and the Captain spoke for them. "Tony, can you hold off a little while longer and let us answer that later? Trust me, you will hear it all."

Sliding back, Tony propped his head at the top rim of his chair and slid down, his bottom barely touching the edge of the seat. It created a straight line with his tall frame and he crossed his feet at the ankles.

Forbes pulled out a leather briefcase next to his chair, balanced it on his knees as he opened it, and slowly extracted another file.

Passing it to Fornell, he inclined his head in Tony's direction.

Fornell handed the file to the younger man, and watched as he carefully opened it to check the contents.

This time a photo of two somber children faced him. Favoring each other with high cheekbones and golden olive skin, he guessed they were family. However, the resemblance ended there. Evidently older, the girl's hazel eyes and wavy honey blond hair already marked her as a beauty. The boy's hair was a couple of shades darker with streaks of copper threaded throughout. His eyes, luminous and compelling, sparkled a light topaz brown.

"Good looking, aren't they?" Fornell stabbed a finger towards the photo, smiling.

"Girl's five, and the little boy is three," offered the Captain.

Wiggling himself straight, Tony slid back in his chair and closed the file. "Introduce me," he requested, interlocking his fingers behind his head. A tuft of hair popped up like a rooster's comb. "My process of elimination suggests a tie to the Black Widow Cartel. Did I miss the mark?"

"No, you connected the dots. These kids belonged to a housekeeper working for one of the men higher up in the organization. She might have suspected her employer trafficked in drugs, but no evidence exists that she in any way acknowledged it," Forbes clarified, crossing his arms across his chest.

Cracking the file back open, Tony considered the picture. "Are those his kids?"

"No," Fornell answered, "hers only. Their dad lost his life in a car accident two months before the little boy's birth, skidded off the road during an ice storm. He had no tie to the organization."

Tony winced.

"Apparently we can credit the housekeeper's boss with recruiting the servicemen we mentioned earlier, the Navy and Marine boys. This guy's position functioned as a pseudo human resources officer, for lack of a better term. From what we have gathered he had a charisma about him, which made him the man able to enlist dealers and workers in three or four states. However, he got greedy, and must have thought his rank in the food chain would provide him carte blanche because no one would consider him a suspect. He spent the last several months covertly siphoning business to a secondary drug organization created from drugs appropriated off of his employer."

Forbes stopped talking, and Tony watched as he gathered his thoughts before continuing with the story.

"As happens in situations like that the boss suspected all along. He ordered his henchmen in to get him with commands to kill everyone in the house, with the exception of the traitor, the homeowner."

Fornell added some detail to the bare bones summation. "Two men stormed the residence and mowed down the man's wife and teenaged kids, the housekeeper, the chauffeur, and the gardener as they slept, then dragged him to their boss, who oversaw his death by torture. According to our informants, the boss didn't kill him for three days, but ordered him tortured seventy two straight hours. Can't imagine how a human could last that long."

His audience sorted through the mental image.

"By some miracle, and I mean that literally, the assassins allowed the housekeeper's babies to live. Police investigating the bloodbath found them alive but crying in their mother's room. The only rationale to their survival that the investigators could offer rested on the fact that a huge picture of the Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus hung on the wall between the crib and bed of the two kids. Arguably they figured the men could not slaughter the little ones with that picture, with them protected by such holy entities."

The Captain presented the conclusion. "So this happened a year and a half ago. Like you saw with our young man at the beginning," he pointed at the file still open in Tony's lap. "The kids do have relatives on mom's side to adopt them eventually, but the kinfolks won't be safe, nor will the kids be safe, until we finish taking down the rest of the Black Widow Cartel."

"As of now, they have passed through three foster placements, roughly one per six months," Fornell continued. "By all accounts the kids exhibit no problems per se, but the two together require a tremendous amount of energy from the caretakers."

Tony stood up and stretched, internalizing the nightmare narration he had just heard. He pursed his lips and tilted his head quizzically. "How- or rather, why did Athens, Georgia, start this whole conversation?"

"All in good time," the Captain smiled back, the smile not reaching his eyes. Despite the fact that three men in the room considered themselves veterans in enforcement, examining lives as they had done the past few minutes tore them to the quick.

"One more, Son," Fornell gestured towards the chair Tony had vacated. "Sit down again, because we should go over this last case."

Motioning for the folder, the captain passed the new one to Fornell, who placed it into Tony's hands, an undisguised expression of sorrow.

The young man fanned himself with the cardstock cover before dropping back into the chair. The clenched jaw gave away his emotional upset, and the other three allowed him several moments to collect himself.

This time two snapshots took up the inside cover, one of a toddler girl, and the other of an elementary level boy. The little girl's blue eyes reminded Tony of the lightest blue of the sky he could imagine, and her dark blond hair fell straight and just past her little dimpled chin. The boy, on the other hand, had hair so blond it was almost white, framing an elfin face with dark blue eyes and a dimple in his left cheek.

Both children stared unsmilingly at the camera, neither sad nor happy.

Tony scrunched his eyes closed a few seconds before inviting a sit rep.

"Same cartel, same motive," the Captain began, cutting to the chase. "Kids belonged to dealers in Nebraska, a couple both at the lower end of the Black Widow pipeline. They made the mistake of supplying names when the drug task force busted them six months ago. Released on bail, cops found them when reports of a car fire summoned the fire and police to a public park in Iowa, about an hour from the residence. The medical examiner determined they had been bound, shot, and placed in the car. When the vehicle caught fire, they were still breathing but had no way of escaping. Their deaths were excruciating."

Fornell exhaled loudly. "Police picked up the kids when the sitter called and said no on had come to collect them the night before, which is when she expected one of the parents. Sitter identified the parents through identification of the car. Officers worked quickly and had the kids with a family in a couple of hours. No one is sure whether the cartel knows about the kids, but to be careful, they are relocating them. Someone placed a couple of questionable calls to the foster home, disconnecting before the calls could be traced. As you could expect, the foster parents freaked. I don't blame them."

"How old?" Tony asked, studying the innocent faces more closely.

"Eighteen months and seven years, and the locals pinned down a paternal grandmother who will eventually get to keep them."

"Sometimes this job…" Fornell began.

"Drags you down, but then you remember that somebody needs you," Forbes finished.

Tony shrugged his shoulders in question, "What do these five children and I have in common? I haven't come across this cartel in any of my cases."

The men exchanged knowing glances, and Tony felt his spidey sense activate. He sat up taller and focused, certain that he needed all of his wits about him.

"Remember Athens?" the Captain prodded.

He nodded.

"The Navy School calls Athens home. A military presence already permeates the community, and the campus there functions as part of the city and pretty much as another campus, like the University." Forbes rooted around in his briefcase and produced a colored map. He handed it to Tony, pointing out the location of the Navy school.

"This op combines local forces, the FBI, NCIS, and the DEA. We shared the background already, but to reiterate, we have laid the groundwork already and started crippling the cartel. The different enforcement agencies worked solo for a while, then combined and created a timeline to the final countdown. So far we are winning, we've hit the deadlines running, but the ultimate prize, of course, is taking down the kingpin. We can make it happen in the next six months, Tony."


	3. So It Begins

So It Begins

"We plan to implode the entire outfit as well as grab the brass ring," Fornell clarified.

"That makes sense, but again, why call me in here and read me in to the operation?"

Smiling in understanding, the Captain answered. "They need your help, Son, and because you work in law enforcement and have a dad tenured in a government agency, you already possess know-how not present with other personnel. Besides that, at your age and with no ties you can pick up and go with a minimum of fuss. It's not a problem to send you on assignment."

"We need you in Athens," Forbes intensified the appeal. "We created a cover as an instructor at the Navy School. That gives you access to naval resources and the commandant there has extended his personal help. Your fan club of peers and supervisors, both past and present, claim you sink into an assignment like a bulldog, hanging on until you solve it."

Tony's lips turned up at the corner, amused at how subtly that they ganged up on him. They must really want him to agree to the task with all of their flattering praise.

"What about my job here?"

"Covered," Fornell assured him, "and your cover there will stand up to questioning, though really there should be none. Instructors or teachers generally populate schools."

"Does my dad know about this?"

Forbes nodded emphatically. "We apprised Jethro of the mission, and told him of our intentions to send you."

"You know your father, Tony," Fornell reminded him. "He will support whatever decision you make. And before you ask any more, yes, he said we could tell you that."

Tony steepled his hands. "Ok, then, count me a willing participant. I believe I could make Athens home for a while."

"Wait for the rest," Fornell instructed.

"Rest of what?"

"The assignment, Tony, you didn't hear the rest of it." Fornell lifted his eyebrows and inclined his head in the Captain's direction, signaling a change in speaker.

Tony turned quizzically to regard his boss.

"Those kids, Tony," he began, pausing when Tony's eyes widened in alarm. "The kids will go with you for safety. Taking them with you gives them protection, a safe home for a few months, and us the time to tear apart the cartel."

"No, oh no, no!" Tony exclaimed, holding his palms out as a gesture to stop. "Kids and I have nothing in common with each other, and I wouldn't know the first thing about how to keep a kid alive, feed it or whatever it takes!"

"Calm down," Fornell ordered. "You certainly have the wherewithal to do a great parenting job, even on a temporary basis. We wouldn't have tapped you if we had doubts you could tackle the assignment. Just rely upon how your father managed you, and how your abuela cared for you and you'll have no worries."

Tony's face paled. "No, no! They scare me!"

"Cut it out, Tony, 'cause you have an opportunity here to make a real difference, not only to your country, but to three different families. Have some confidence in yourself. The rest of us did, which is why we are gathered here now. These children deserve something good, someone who cares, and some peace for a change in their little lives," his Captain scolded.

Tony's rejoinder gushed forth practically as a whine, "My plans center around childlessness, though. I need to keep my innocence intact!"

The three men waited patiently, watching one emotion after another cross Tony's face as he intellectually assessed the assignment and instant family, evidently buying a delay with his self examination.

Tony reeled mentally, with thoughts, emotions, and data racing into each other. It sent him into the beginning phases of a panic before he caught himself and stopped its progress. He willed himself to calm down, taking deep breaths and practicing some of the techniques he had adopted to calm himself before a game at Ohio State.

Slowly he gained control.

Forbes cleared his throat before offering a way out to the young man. "Tony, as much as we honestly need you to do this, you do have the right to turn us down. I can assure you that if you do, it will not impact future assignments or evaluations. I think it is essential to let you understand that. We need to make you understand. There will be no career retaliation if you refuse."

Tony opened his eyes and strategically made eye contact with all three of his seniors. "Thank you, Gentlemen, but I have decided to accept the challenge. Nothing feels better than jumping into a losing ball game and scrapping it out to an unanticipated victory. Besides that, I was blessed with a great childhood, and I know how great my life has been. Anything I can do to make it better for the rugrats will be my pleasure."

Grinning, he licked his lips. "Ok, gentlemen, now that I have agreed, let's get to the nitty gritty, and don't delude yourself that I'm not still terrified about this."

All three older men congratulated and thanked him, slapped him on the back, and even patted his cheek.

An hour later, Tony strolled out of the Baltimore squadroom with three file folders in his hands and five children and a temporary new life in his heart.

He spent the next several hours speaking seriously with his dad, then with his abuela. Both assured him that they had faith in his ability to carry out the assignment and reassured him that he merely had to phone to get their help.

Tony specifically requested private meetings with the children before they created their united make believe family and drove to their new home. Though he envisioned several hours to bond with each of the three families, the urgency of the mission trumped and he settled with breakfast with one set, lunch with another that same day, and then supper with the last two.

Surprisingly, the children accepted their new names, their witness protection names, with few problems. The younger ones did not understand the change, and the older ones had recreated identities before.

Tony nearly staged a conniption fit when told to garage his sports car at his dad's. His protests fell on deaf ears, with the experts insisting necessity demanded a vehicle capable of comfortably holding two car seats and two booster seats, along with room for another child and Tony.

Had he not felt so grateful to Tony for agreeing to the operation, Forbes would have snapped and publicized a picture of Tony's expression the second he laid horrified eyes on the behemoth minivan procured for the duration.

Heartbreaking.

Decidedly not a candidate for most attractive van of the year, still, the sturdy mini bus was red.

Further entertainment followed as two Baltimore police officers, already experienced dads, taught and made Tony practice the proper installation of the safety seats.

At one point, Tony banged his head repeatedly against the driver's side window.

The spectators observed the action sympathetically, trying hard to mask their smirks. Nevertheless, lassoing the playboy of the precinct and hitching him to a mini van full of kiddies simply proved too delightful to not savor.

Finally, though, the few belongings owned by the children shared trunk space with Tony's suitcases, and all five children sat sleepily in the van protected within their child restraints.

A chorus of good byes and good wishes floated into the open driver's window.

Because of the security issues involved, the entire precinct thought that the family's location was St. Paul, Minnesota. To corroborate the red herring, the implications to the older children had led them to assume that all of them would head north, having been absorbed in conversations about snow, and ice, and hard core winters. That way, should someone engage them in conversation, the children would answer honestly with the direction they thought they would take.

Cranking the van thoughtfully, Tony, a twenty eight year old brand new father of five, prayed silently, for the safety of the trip, the assignment, and last by expressing gratitude for the blessings he had experienced.

Finally, though, he waved a final good bye and eased onto the road, moving through more suburban streets before merging into the urban sprawl of DC. Pointing the van south he glanced in the rearview mirror and announced enthusiastically, "Free fall time, boys and girls, we can now consider ourselves officially free falling!"

Jethro and Maria had emphasized the importance of not trying to drive the nearly nine hour trip from Washington, D.C., to Athens, Georgia, in one sitting, citing the necessity of the children taking regular breaks. Plotting carefully, they decided the best course would lie in driving roughly seven hours to Greenville, South Carolina the first day, and then travelling the final couple of hours into Athens the following day.

Setting out that morning, Tony decided Petersburg, Virginia, just outside of Richmond, would provide their first rest stop. Such an early departure worked in his favor, because the second the van's wheels began the rhythmic revolutions south along the interstate, all five fell back asleep, having gotten up much too early.

Glancing in the mirror, Tony checked his passengers often, nervous at transporting such precious cargo.

Capitalizing upon the unexpected serenity, he created plans for the rest of the day, realistic enough to understand that after their first highway stop, managing his new family would prove more challenging as the hours progressed.

Though not provided much individual time with each child before their road trip, Tony had learned their names and managed to study and conclude a bit about each promising personality.

In the row behind him, the youngest, Vivienne, occupied the seat closest to the aisle so that he would not have to crawl over the seat to secure her in and out of her bulky car seat. Cute and dimpled, in moments of fear, or during a need for reassurance, she resorted to sucking the middle two fingers of her right hand. Regarding her securely buckled in the car seat, he noted that her fingers dangled from her mouth, and she slept deeply.

Elijah, the three year old, reclined in the same seat but in the row behind Vivienne. Quiet, shy, and on the small side, he had succumbed to sleep clutching of all things, a cartoon figured hospital nightgown. According to his former foster parents, a couple of months before they had rushed him to the emergency room when he fell and smashed his chin on a coffee table. The nurses exchanged his outfit with a hospital gown for the examination, and at his dismissal, he refused to turn it loose. In the end, the hospital sent him home with a single stitch closing the cut underneath his chin and that tiny white hospital gown covered with cartoon characters he refused to relinquish.

At nine, the oldest of Tony's pretend progeny, Ethan, slept partially leaning against the van's window. He had insisted that he needed the back row all to himself, and at that moment, Tony could unearth no plausible reason to refuse the demand. A good looking boy, it turned out that he enjoyed reading, but trying to engage him in even the most banal conversation met with barely veiled annoyance or hostility.

With a window seat beside Elijah, seven year old Levi slept in his booster seat with his head against the side frame of the car seat. His light blond hair looked like cotton attached to the upholstery fabric. Rambunctious probably provided a good one word description of the little boy, from what Tony had managed to observe thus far. Energetic and enthusiastic, he practically bounced when he moved, and did not mind immersing himself into new activities.

Last, Ava's booster seat also bordered the window, and she slept with her head against the window and one small foot reclining over Vivienne's seat. Very pretty, Ava resembled an adorable pixie, Tony decided when they met. Neither shy nor gregarious, she approached situations with studied caution, never putting herself first into any activity. If anything, it appeared that she possessed the ability to assess strangers quickly, determining without too much thought whether to classify them as friends or foes.


	4. Road Trip

Road Trip

All of the possessions owned by the five children had still left plenty of room in the trunk's storage area, and Tony realized that he would need to ensure that more toys and clothing were purchased the minute he had a chance. Once they actually entered their Athens home, Tony had two weeks free before his cover required he begin teaching at the Navy School. He welcomed the anticipated chance to take care of business and get the family into a routine.

By the time he engaged the right turn signal and eased onto the exit ramp at his stopping place in Petersburg, Ava and Levi had already wakened. She had remained silent, watching the landscape change from her vantage point. Levi, on the other hand, had fired a barrage of questions at Tony, along with his own personal observations about the scenery, other cars, and future plans.

Once he parked, all but Vivienne rubbed sleepily at their eyes. She still slept soundly, little rosebud mouth slightly open.

Pocketing the keys, Tony turned in his seat and held up a hand. "Listen up, please. No one leaves this van without my permission, so remember that. Also, the furthest person in the car, meaning you, today, Ethan, will have the responsibility every day of staying and letting everyone else go first. That means," he raised his eyebrows at the boy, "that you must double check that no one has been left behind. We don't want to take any chances of one of you forgotten in the car."

Ethan responded by exhaling and rolling his eyes.

"If I find you incapable of handling that bit of responsibility, Ethan, then you will exchange seats with someone else. That particular duty needs a level of maturity." Tony restrained himself from snapping angrily and giving attention to the nine year old's show of attitude, deciding that time to address that could wait a bit.

"Now, we will walk into that convenience store, together, follow the signs to the restroom, and stay together while everyone has a turn."

Levi began bouncing rapturously in his seat and sang out happily, "I don't have to go, no, I don't have to go. I don't have to go, no, I don't have…"

Tony interrupted, "That's too bad, then, because only those who actually use the facilities will earn the opportunity to choose an icee or tasty beverage in the store."

"I gotta go to tee pee," Reconsidering his stance, Levi immediately began to chant instead. "I gotta go to tee pee…"

"Enough!" Tony ordered, though softened the command with "you made the right decision, Levi."

Regarding Levi skeptically, Ava whispered to the dozing Vivienne, "He means pee pee, or tee tee, not tee pee."

Before climbing from the driver's seat, Tony grabbed the stocked diaper bag off of the passenger floor and slung it onto his shoulder. Thankfully his retinue of helpers had supplied him with items which he would never even know how to locate in a store. Standing impatiently beside him in his office, the Captain had coached him as Tony packed and unpacked the bag, and not allowed to quit until he could demonstrate prowess in how to use the products correctly.

Beside diapers and wipes, a change of clothing, bibs, lotions and powders, and a couple of toys made the sides of the bag bulge.

Ava asked permission to unbuckle, which he granted, so by the time he rounded the back of the van and opened the door the only two left to free from seat belt straps were Elijah and Vivienne.

While Tony fought his way through the car seat restraints of the three year old, then the eighteen month old, Ava and Levi seized advantage of his preoccupation and raced into the store. Grabbing Vivienne like a football he planned to hurl down the field Tony backed out of the van, clutching Elijah's hand so the toddler could jump down from the steps to the ground.

"All clear?" Tony questioned Ethan, who balanced across the seat back in front of him.

Surprisingly with no sign of his typical impertinence, the nine year old assured him, "Soon as you leave, it's empty."

Elijah landed on the pavement and cagily wiggled out of Tony's grasp. Stretching to capture him again, he bent too far and banged Vivienne's head against a chunk of the door handle. Tony realized the danger too late, unable to stop the outcome, and cringed at the inevitable result.

Instantaneous loud sobbing erupted.

The baby massaged frantically by her ear, her response heartbreaking and unnerving at the same time.

Jumping into the law enforcement persona who had trained in CPR, Tony grasped Vivienne's hand and uncovered her ear so that he could assess the damage.

Still corralled and unable to break free, Elijah maneuvered to plant himself behind Tony, using one of his small hands to dig his fingers into Tony's right thigh.

Viv's screams nearly deafened Tony.

Painfully moving away from the van itself Tony still managed to witness Ethan follow instructions, check all the seats for occupants, and then regard him with a knowing smirk before swinging to the ground.

At least he took it upon himself to shut the door, a good thing since both of Tony's hands were taken.

Then Ethan raced into the store.

It took Tony another full minute to disentangle Elijah enough to allow the three of them to step onto the sidewalk and progress towards the store's glass door.

Vivienne's screams had calmed some, but she still sobbed in shuddery breaths, and accompanied her tears by rubbing vigorously at the hurt place. Pitifully, the fingers normally relegated for comfort dangled from her lips, unable to soothe until her sobs tapered.

Tony's guilt nearly paralyzed him, and his conscience filled with self recrimination. He had caused this by failing to protect the baby, and for all he knew, she could have incurred irreversible brain damage.

When he actually turned the entrance handle to enter he realized with shock that he had no clue where Ava and Levi had disappeared.

However, once he actually pushed through the interior he had no doubt. The pair raced up and down the store's aisles, laughing and yelling gleefully to each other.

The counter clerks leveled accusing eyes upon him as he negotiated his entrance, and Tony cringed, though he knew the fault was his. In case he missed the messages of censure, though, other customers glared as well.

Raising his voice he pointed towards the restroom sign and ordered both to stop running and make their ways to follow him immediately. They chased each other delightedly, but did do as told, and he joined them with the youngest two.

Ethan materialized and rewarded him with a smug look. Tony narrowed his eyes, suspicious of the sudden appearance and cat that swallowed the canary demeanor.

Where had that kid been, and what had he done while out of sight?

"I need to use the bathroom," Ava announced pitifully, yanking onto his pinky finger. For emphasis, she crossed her legs and frowned to illustrate her status.

"Got it," Tony muttered, checking the area and discovering that the store had just one restroom.

Five children and one solitary convenience store restroom- could it get any worse?

Continuing to rock Vivienne on his hip, he removed his finger from Ava's grasp and pointed. "Go first, Honey."

She regarded him fearfully, hazel eyes wide and unsure. "I don't want to go alone."

"We'll be here, right here," he assured her, using his other hand to pat Elijah on the back.

Elijah responded by climbing onto Tony's shoes and leaning back against his long legs for support.

Reluctant but obedient, Ava pushed the door inward and immediately shut it. "There's dark inside there," she whimpered pitifully.

Still struggling with the two youngest, Tony nevertheless smiled encouragingly, trying to stem the panic beginning to overwhelm him. "Look, that's an easy fix, Honey. I'll cut on the light for you so the dark disappears and remember we will be right here waiting for you."

Using his shoulder he muscled open the door and into the space and felt along the wall for the switch. Once illuminated he found the restroom held two private stalls and two urinals separated by divider walls.

A unisex bathroom- someone was definitely looking out for him.

Throwing his head back he exhaled in relief. Finally, finally, his luck had improved!

As icing on the cake, the bathroom had been recently cleaned. He could still smell pine cleaner.

Backing the door open far wider, he directed the rest of the kids into the room and straightened his shoulders. This situation was workable! Oh yes, he could handle this.

Quickly he set Vivienne onto the tiled floor and helped Ava into one stall, then held Elijah up to use one urinal while Ethan took a turn at the other. Levi just required a short boost. Tony used the restroom himself before cleaning and checking Vivienne's boo boo.

Finally, everyone had been granted a turn at the facilities.

Levi and Ava provided him with a running commentary and helpful advice as he changed Ava's diaper, pulling one item after another out of the bag until Tony thanked them with finality and instructed them to repack.

Tony supervised the washing and drying of hands and risked a glance at himself in the mirror.

He looked shell shocked.

Ten minutes after disembarking the van, Tony paid for six small icees, ignored all pleas for candy despite his own craving for a toffee candy bar, and ushered his brood out to the grassy field bordering the rear of the store. Pointing to his watch, he called out that he would grant a free five minutes to run, jump, play, and slurp icees before they returned to their van.

Clutching a cherry frozen drink, Vivienne toddled hurriedly towards the others.

Thankfully, Tony had determined that he had done her no permanent damage with the door.

The same didn't mirror his thoughts about her diaper, which as she ran after the others, began to slowly creep down her legs.

He ran his fingers through his hair. Elijah had tried to tell him the tabs had to be pulled tighter, but he had dismissed the three year old's tip.

"Vivi, come here," he called, stopping to throw his empty cup into the trash before jogging after her.

Glancing over her shoulder, she shrieked with glee and began to run instead. Delighted at such unbridled joy after a traumatic morning, Tony laughed, too.

He pretended to chase her and instantly the others leapt in the game, begging him to chase them, and then racing to chase each other over the grass. Even Ethan joined in enthusiastically, and by the time the group got back onto the highway, the leftover joy still remained.

"Oh, I liked it. Can we stop at the next store and do it again?" Levi asked hopefully, the dimple in his cheek reflecting his pleasure and providing testament to his excitement.

Tony smiled at him from the vantage point of the rear view mirror, and noted that Elijah clutched his unusual security item, the hospital gown, against his cheek.

"Next stop is lunch, and that will probably occur in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina. First, though, we will travel through beautiful and famous Durham, home to the absolutely spectacular Duke University."

"How long is that?" called out Levi. "When do we get there?"

"Durham will take us a couple of hours and another hour will get us to Greensboro. Now who can tell me all of the states we need to travel through to get to Georgia?"

By the time the mini van pulled into a parking slot at a family restaurant in Greensboro, the children had been privy to a series of mini lessons on the War Between the States, Duke basketball, Southern football, the Atlanta Braves, and why addressing adults as ma'am and sir reflected good manners and respect in the nation's South.

Unfortunately, this particular restaurant had constructed separate restrooms for males and females. Working with what he had at hand, Tony stood with all of the children in the corridor between both and pointed the boys in first while he stood propping open the door of the other so that Ava could see him during her turn. She finished quickly and washed her hands and he told her to stand in the hall with the boys once she rejoined him.

Lined up against the wall, he issued a series of threats to keep them glued there before hurrying in with Elijah, Viv and her bag. This time he did a better job securing the diaper tab against the Velcro, and he stood them both by the door while he took his turn.

Still, he hurried, afraid the older three would disappear in his brief absence, or worse, tear the place to shreds.

Evidently too tired to flee, Ava, Levi, and Ethan greeted his return. Expressing his pleasure, he complimented all of them, and they rewarded him with shy grins as acknowledgement.

Tony congratulated himself. It appeared he would not find himself subjected to tantrums or disobedience greater that mischief with his exemplary crew.

It gave him a smug feeling.

The hostess settled them at a large round table in them middle of the busy diner. Tony placed himself between Vivienne's high chair and Elijah's high chair. Ethan chose a seat across from Tony while Ava and Levi sat on either side of the oldest.

Their waitress, whom Tony declared a saint, produced crayons and color sheets to occupy the group.

They all began entertaining themselves with the sheets and crayons, but he did grab Viv's as she started to sink her little teeth into it.

He traded her his keys, which proved an adequate substitute in her eyes.

The once playboy man without ties that bound him checked the beverage list and ordered milk for all of them, overruling their requests for Cokes and lemonades. For himself he wished wholeheartedly for a strong drink but settled for coffee, his father's beverage choice.

Consulting the colorful menu designated for kids, he pointed out practically that only three real choices existed, all sandwiches. After some discussion Elijah and Ethan chose burgers while Ava and Levi opted for the grilled cheese. Tony selected the third option, peanut butter and jelly, for Vivienne.

When it was his turn he went blank, having not spent a moment considering his own possible entrée. The waitress stood beside him, pencil poised over order pad, and sighed audibly.

"So sorry," he mumbled guiltily. "How about that chicken sandwich?"

She continued to stare impatiently.

"That one," he pointed helpfully, "the one in the picture here beside the slices of tomato."

Up to that point, his public persona as an experienced father to the five children in front of him had not really found itself presented for public consumption. Here, though, the waitress buzzed around so much that he felt apprehensive that one of the little ones would divulge their sham of a family. Worse, well meaning diners paused on their way to pay their checks, commenting on this or that and addressing well meaning questions to the kids.

Despite the inner apprehension though, no secrets spilled.


	5. Family Man

Family Man

Halfway through his own meal he stopped and leaned back in his seat, focusing on first one child, then the other.

Beside him Elijah ate enthusiastically and Tony grinned at the sight, recalling his own great appetite at that age. The little boy met Tony's gaze expectantly, topaz eyes curious and a French fry en route to his mouth. His hair, a coppery dark blond, complemented his golden complexion.

A movement halted his study of Elijah.

Levi tried to reposition himself to rest his upper body on the table, but Tony waved his finger at him as a signal to stop. The child opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind and grinned, showing off his dimple and dark blue eyes. Checking his plate, Tony realized that all of the grilled cheese had been eaten before Levi started on the fries. He filed the fact for future reference. Little Levi ate one course of the meal at a time.

On the other hand, Ethan had polished off all of his food and sat quietly, watching the other patrons around him. His nearly full glass of milk sat stationed before him, and Tony motioned to him to finish it. Ethan scowled, then turned deliberately so that he wouldn't face his observer.

"Ethan," Tony spoke quietly, "finish that milk if you want a soft drink later this afternoon."

The promise of a sugared drink disturbed him, despite enticing Ethan with one.

A stab of guilt flooded him.

Not one of their plates held a vegetable of any kind. His abuela would hit the roof if she saw that transgression.

Refusing to turn around, Ethan's hand nevertheless reached out and brought the glass of milk to his lips.

Ava had availed herself to one or two bites from the sandwich and decreased the fries on her plate by two or three potato slices. She had drunk the milk to almost the bottom, though, and he felt some comfort in that.

"Eat, Ava," he prodded her and she regarded him with hazel eyes.

Tony studied her honey blond hair, which fell in waves that almost obscured her face. He would have to buy some of those little girl hair things and figure out how to sweep it out of her eyes.

She pushed some of her fries around the plate and he let it go, settling instead for mentally noting to himself that he needed to tackle their food issues once they settled in Athens.

A tiny hand grabbed his hair and he pivoted to discover Viv grinning at him, her other chubby hand thrusting a piece of her sandwich towards him. He had cut the crusts off of her peanut butter and jelly, then cubed it into pieces so small she could not possibly choke.

She bounced in her chair, shoving the food closer to his lips with delighted anticipation.

Clearing the table beside theirs of uneaten food and dirty dishes, the waitress beamed at the exchange. "Will you look at that? She wants to feed her daddy some of her lunch, bless her heart."

Grateful for the translation, Tony grabbed the tiny hand and pretended to take a huge bite, smacking his lips loudly and delighting the baby. He laughed with her, unable to resist the little blonde. Even covered in sandwich remains, she resembled a cherub.

He managed to get her to eat quite a bit as they waited for Elijah to finish his last bites.

The final leg of the day's journey advanced them to Greenville, South Carolina, Tony's destination for the day. He had plotted the course deliberately to ensure the children arrived rested and excited when they entered Athens the following morning, and felt satisfied that the end of the journey would take less than two hours.

Their motel had earned its selection with the younger population in mind. It boasted a pool along with a playground area, and a continental breakfast in the morning.

After registration he led the group to their spacious room, one with double king beds and the crib he had requested in advance.

Levi spied the furnishings in one delighted glance and leapt onto one of the beds, jumping enthusiastically up and down on the mattress before Tony's strong arm, acting like a shepherd's hook, yanked him back to stand on the floor.

All of them begged to swim once they located the pool outside of their window, but examining their bags, he found not one of them owned a suit. The bags themselves held no more than a few outfits each, and with a groan he admitted they would have to shop for clothes, really shop for clothes, in the next few days.

Straightening from the inventory of belongings, he shelved his disappointment at the overall dearth of clothing. "Here's the deal," he announced to his audience. "We can't swim without suits, and I am the only one who actually possesses one of all of us staying in our hotel room. So, for the rest of you to swim means we make a trip to buy a swimsuit for each of you."

They assured him earnestly that they supported his idea.

"However," he clarified, changing his voice to one with a stern, stronger tone, "if we walk into that store and a single one of you moves away from the proximity of the shopping cart, we will leave the store immediately with no suits. I refuse to buy anything if you can not conduct yourselves appropriately. Capiche?"

The kids convinced him they most assuredly capiched.

Amused at the immediate promise of cooperation, he had them slide their bags out of the way and straighten the room before returning to the van.

Much to his relief, the store outing brought about no major problems. The children took him at his word, determined to enjoy a swim and the playground once back at the hotel.

Settling Vivienne in the cart's belted child seat, he swung Ava and Elijah into the deep main portion of the cart, the area used to place merchandise. Levi insisted he could be trusted and would walk beside the cart and hold it with one hand, as Ethan had promised Tony he would do.

Were the circumstances different, Tony would have relished the fact that females flocked to him non stop during the shipping trip. Apparently his status as a single dad elevated him to new heights of desirability to the opposite sex.

He took advantage of his appeal to convince the women to aid him in correctly sizing the children for their swimsuits, and with very little time squandered, they returned to the hotel room and changed.

Before they departed the store, though, he grabbed a huge bottle of sunscreen along with snacks and drinks to suffice for supper.

With his energy nearly depleted, he convinced himself that it would be ludicrous to attempt visiting another restaurant for supper after an exhausting car trip and physically tiring swim.

He made the right call.

They remained out by the pool nearly two hours, with the children alternating between the playground equipment and the allure of the water. Tony stayed vigilant, encouraging them to have fun while simultaneously checking upon their safety.

Hanging out at the kiddie pool, he observed Ethan as the child merely dangled his legs in the regular pool, rather than immerse himself. When questioned, the boy glossed over his lack of participation by insisting to Tony that his stomach hurt. Savvy to the desire to save face, Tony pretended to believe him.

Levi, on the other hand, begged to leave the baby pool area to swim in the deep end, and finally Tony granted him a shot, but not until he stood poised and ready to dive in should Levi flounder.

Wonders would never cease in his introduction to parenthood!

Levi, he discovered, swam as skillfully as an Olympic contender, both under and above the water, and dove as well as he swam. Tony followed his prowess and movements with unrestrained surprise and pride, mentally comparing the seven year old's expertise with Ethan's nine year old lack of aptitude.

Maybe he could help Ethan master swimming later, after they settled in Georgia.

Tony reminded himself their union, his union with them, would be brief. All five children would reunite, or even unite for the first time, with their family member in the next couple of months.

Still, he could better their lives while he had them.

Rounding all of them up some time later, he led them back to the room and realized with a shock that it was nearly seven o'clock. He decided to let them skip baths since they had wet themselves down in the pool, but had them strip off their suits and change into pajamas. He hung the suits on the shower rod, hoping they would have enough time to dry before they left.

Locating toothbrushes in the assortment of belongings, he discovered he alone had brought toothpaste and a hairbrush. He made another mental note to add both to his next grocery visit.

Vivienne ran around the room completely naked, having slipped away when he stripped off her suit and diaper. He let her go until she finished eating, then caught her and dressed her for bed. The older children he sent in turns to use the bathroom and brush their teeth. One by one the kids began to tire, and as soon as he powered on the television to an animated movie, he could tell that sleep would follow soon.

Taking advantage of their lethargy and preoccupation, he slipped into the bathroom and luxuriated under a shower under blasting jets of hot water, using it to mentally review the day and then consider the agenda for the morning.

Sleeping arrangements had not really crossed his mind, but as he dried and dressed he knew he needed to get the kids going in that direction.

Who was he kidding? He needed to head in the sleep direction right along with them!

Propping himself against the headboard of one of the massive beds, he called Vivienne to him, and scooped her into his arms when she arrived. Positioning her carefully, he gently rubbed her blond hair and then her back as she sucked her fingers and watched the television screen. Five minutes later her eyes closed, but he waited a bit longer before carrying her to the crib and covering her softly.

Motioning to Elijah, he convinced him to slide under the covers and watch from the other bed, and Ethan moved from the chair by the window to crawl under the covers beside him.

Levi changed places to sit at the end of Tony's bed, but Ava stayed rooted in a chair in front of the built in desk.

Patiently Tony waited through one set of commercials and then to the next as the video played. Gradually Levi crept beside him and leaned against Tony, his eyes heavy. Wrapping an arm around the little boy, Tony rhythmically patted the small back. Ava followed Levi's path a few minutes later, and within another half hour, all five children slept soundly.

Grabbing the remote with a blissful sigh, Tony powered off the television and slipped into his own exhausted and welcome sleep, family man style.


	6. The Daddy

The Daddy

A foot kicking the side of his face punched him awake, but for several suspended moments of surreal hope that he dreamed it, Tony refused to open his eyes.

No, the tiny but insistent foot kicked again, evidently determined to bloody his lip, and he groaned and rolled to his side, hoping to protect himself from permanent harm.

Just as quickly he rolled back the opposite way, lifting his upper body off of the mattress at the same time. He cracked open his eyes to narrowed slits.

What unexpected and unwelcome obstacle blocked his path to additional slumber?

Forcing his eyes to widen while his pupils adjusted to the light allowed him to focus, and he pulled himself up against the wooden headboard and recoiled in shock. Evidently Vivienne's diaper had not proved tight enough, because while she lay with her head by his knees, tiny fingers dangling from her lips, saturated places in the cover outlined each of her baby hips.

Tony shook his head roughly, raising up a bit so as not to sit on her tiny foot.

The baby had awakened at nearly two in the morning, and once she yanked him from dreamland, he had worked hard- and pretty efficiently, if he did say so himself- to keep her from waking the other children. After changing her, and obviously badly since the tabs must have loosened, she launched into copious tears with each of his attempts to settle her back into the crib. Deciding his priority at that hour rested in all the children sleeping until morning, he settled her beside him in the bed beside Levi, leaving Ava closest to the wall.

Sucking greedily at her fingers, she slept within a couple of minutes, and jubilantly he drifted off right afterwards.

He blew out a breath and checked the bedside clock. A little after six, and here he sat, awake, surrounded by a hotel room full of children, and sleeping in a bed with two puddles of urine.

Police work simply could not and would not hold a candle to this. He could handle law enforcement, fighting to protect the world from scumbags, but this? This parenthood was whipping his butt!

Sliding off of the mattress he peeped at Ethan and Elijah in the other bed. Both slept soundly, backs together and facing in opposite directions, and he hoped to keep it that way.

He grabbed two towels in the bathroom and slid them under Vivienne, who barely moved even when he removed the sodden diaper and replaced it with a clean one. This time he tightened the Velcro tabs and tested the fit by checking if he could put the first knuckle of his forefinger between her skin and the diaper. Finding that he could not, he smirked at his own clever testing method, congratulating himself on thinking outside of the box.

No disposable diaper would one up him!

It occurred to him that with him out of the bed Vivienne might roll off without his body as a boundary. In his place he lined a couple of pillows where he had slept, confident that she wouldn't get past them, before taking advantage of one of the room's amenities and powering on the tiny coffee pot.

Later, witnessing the sun rise through the gap he had opened in the room's heavy curtains, he sipped coffee and contemplated the day ahead and the day already departed. Things had gone well the past twenty four hours and he recognized that this phase of his life would not continue without mishap. Undertaking the responsibility of a ready made family would bring with it everyday mishaps. Still, he had committed to the project because he genuinely felt he could act as a competent surrogate parent for all five of the children.

At twenty eight, however, he knew his inner core of immaturity dominated his normal life, and that juvenile approach to his existence had worked fine for him. Unattached and possessing a healthy appreciation of enjoying la vida buena, the good life, he had no incentive to finally throw in the towel and transform his perspective to that of a mature adult.

His world altered though, spiraled a mind boggling one hundred and eighty degrees, the day Forbes, Fornell, and his Captain handed him those three file case folders.

No way could he pretend the stories inside the manila bindings had failed to touch him.

Tony sighed deeply. What if he damaged the kids, though?

No one could deny he had no real experience dealing with the younger set. How could they recover if he missed a medical symptom, or failed to pick up on a bullying incident, or even proved shoddy at keeping them fed and clothed? What if he inadvertently warped their little psyches?

Could he deal with the mission assigned him without scarring those little souls?

To add to his insecurity, for some inexplicable reason, both Jethro, his dad, and Maria, his abuela, announced that he could not phone for help or advice until he and the kids had gotten to Georgia and settled in Athens three whole days.

The only one available at the moment to bail him out and keep him afloat was himself.

Tony squinted at the horizon. The sun's entrance ushered streaks of vibrant color, highlighting a family of cardinals perched on the lowest branch of an oak tree across the yard.

His abuela always insisted that cardinals, those beautiful red birds, brought good luck.

Did he really find his dad and abuela inexplicable?

No, blatant truth underscored their reasoning.

Both his dad and grandmother assured him he had their full support and access to all

of their combined child rearing knowledge, but they wanted him to establish his priorities and rely upon his own inner resources first.

Trust his instincts, they insisted eloquently and passionately, refusing to respond to his panicked what ifs.

Just reminiscing he reminded himself how blessed his own childhood and upbringing had been. In whatever way he could, he needed to try to create that for his tiny dependents. Though he had no power over what the children had experienced thus far, or what and how it would shape their lives afterwards, for the weeks they belonged on his watch, he could award them his one hundred percent best.

A soft breeze brushed against him and unexpectedly bony knees and small legs climbed their way into his lap. Sliding his hot coffee onto the window's ledge for safety he tilted back Elijah's little face and brushed the coppery hair back before kissing the tip of his chin. Rubbing sleep from his eyes the three year old yawned widely, and smiling sympathetically, Tony stood up and carried him into the bathroom. Nodding approvingly, he waited while the toddler used the restroom and then washed his hands.

Elijah raised his arms expectantly and Tony picked him up and retraced his steps, resuming his seat by the window.

Burrowing into him a bit, Elijah finally settled with his face against Tony's broad chest, following the cardinal family, too.

Ava woke mere minutes later, and watching her crawl over Vivienne and Levi, he smiled and pointed her towards the bathroom when she met his gaze. Already seasoned to sounds, he relaxed when he heard the flush and then the sounds of hand washing at the sink.

She padded to him and like Elijah, headed for his lap, vaulting onto his thigh. Tony murmured softly to her, watching as she swung her legs and steepled her fingers, playing some type of imaginary game.

He pulled her head against him and kissed the soft blond hair, and the feeling of love just slammed into him. There he sat balancing two kids, one five and one three, and they depended upon him- upon him!- to protect and care for them.

With one arm around Elijah and one around Ava he closed his eyes and savored the moment.

Maybe he had been wrong about being single and untethered all of these years, because this felt pretty good.

A small peripheral noise activated his spidey sense, and he opened his eyes.

Levi's head popped up from under the bed's covers and he shook it wildly, taking stock of his surroundings before scurrying out by crawling backwards on his arms and legs. He slid to the floor and popped up again, rushing to stand by Tony and present him with a grin.

Tony laughed at the blatant showmanship, then directed him to use the restroom. Levi staged his return by marching, thin arms and legs swinging in rhythm, and Tony slid his hand away from Elijah to put his finger to his lips to signal silence.

Levi ignored him instead and hurled himself into Tony's side, nearly knocking Ava off of her perch.

She pushed at him but he demanded, "Get off, now. I'm with the daddy!"

Time stopped moving in Tony's world, and the magnitude of what had just transpired paralyzed him. The entire scene grew fuzzy as emotions and intellect interacted over the blasting of Tony's concept of himself, and what Levi had labeled him activated every bit of his prior knowledge about fathers all in one moment.

Levi brought him back to reality, impatiently shoving Ava nearly off onto the floor before Tony blocked him and pushed him back to own side, then grabbed the child to lean down and whisper firmly, "Straighten up right this minute and I had better never see you push her again!"

Jerking his body to face the opposite direction, Levi stood straight and unmoving, trapped by Tony's hold.

Waiting for Ava to resettle, Tony watched Levi from the back, and detected the little shoulders unexpectedly begin to shake.

His heart ripped, and he hastily pulled the slight boy around. "Hey, look at me, please, Levi."

The child obeyed the command, and his face just crumbled while his hands flew up to swipe at tears. He valiantly tried to make eye contact as Tony asked.

Leaning over the chair's arm, Tony kissed him softly on the cheek and asked gently. "Did you know I sat here all morning hoping my boy would hurry and wake up and keep me company?"

Levi listened to him, but his tears fell faster and harder until seconds later, he rushed to take shuddery breaths. Not turning loose of him, Tony turned to the other two and announced, "Ok Cutie Pie and Handsome Boy, you both had nice long turns on my lap. Now I want you to go climb into that other chair at the window and see how many different birds you can find outside."

Interested in the new activity, they abandoned Tony at once, hurrying to position themselves as closely to the pane as they could.

Reaching down, Tony swung Levi onto his lap, facing him, the little fellow's legs dangling over his hips, and wrapped his arms around him. He rested his forehead against Tony's shoulder and just sobbed and sobbed. Tony didn't speak, but kept one arm firmly around him and then with the other rubbed the child's back and hair, waiting for the torrent to finish.

Finally it did, and Levi dropped exhausted against Tony's soaked shirt.

Tony continued to massage the little boy's hair and back and waited as the after effects finally calmed and he breathed normally again.

Kissing the top of his white blond head, Tony whispered into his hair, "I understand what happened this morning, Big Boy. You woke up happy and you intended to make me happy by scooting out of bed just like a little puppy dog. Then you made a detour and went to the bathroom because you knew I wanted you to do that first. So you thought you would come to me and see if I wanted you, because you saw that Ava and Elijah were here and I held them."

Tony felt a couple of new tears fall and he started rubbing Levi's back soothingly again as he continued to speak. "But I just put my arm around you, not the same as I did with them. And what you wanted in your heart was to matter as much to me as they did."

He felt the little body respond and the relief that arises from correctly assessing a situation washed over him. At least he now understood the crux of the fear that drove the child's actions. Silently he waited until Levi rubbed his face on the front of Tony's shirt once more and shifted so that he was facing the wall. He pulled Tony's arm more firmly around him, and Tony intertwined his fingers with the child's.


	7. Home in Athens

Home in Athens

Another couple of minutes passed but Tony waited patiently. Finally, Levi sat up, and crooking his knee so that his bent leg belted Tony's waist, turned to face Tony.

Tony tapped the tip of the boy's nose with a forefinger and smiled, and Levi responded immediately with a lopsided grin.

Tony reached up and brushed his hand across a still wet cheek and put one hand under Levi's chin. "We are going to work hard on taking turns and on not hurting each other, and sometimes mistakes will happen, like today, and it will be something you and I can fix together. But I want you to understand that you are welcome in my lap until the end of time, and I will always need to hold you and hug you and love you. Do you understand that, Levi?"

Rather than respond verbally, he played with a button on Tony's shirt. Still, he did not take his eyes off of Tony.

"Want me to tell you something?" Tony tilted his head conspiratorially.

Levi nodded.

"Well," Tony asked, "last night who snuggled with me the whole, entire night?"

Levi's head jerked back to check the bed and he whispered softly, "Vivienne."

Tony waved a finger to contradict the reply.

"Nope, not baby Vivienne- Vivi didn't appear until a couple of hours ago. Do you remember that I changed her into her nightgown before I put her to bed in her crib?" Tony pointed at the baby bed.

Levi's dark blue eyes met sympathetic green ones and the vulnerability reflected in the intensity stabbed at Tony. "No, you and Ava crawled into my bed with me, and do you know where you slept all night until I woke up to tend to Viv?"

A little blond head turned back and forth, raptly following the account.

"Right here," Tony motioned down his left side, and added, "stretched out right next to me- just you, Levi, only you."

Levi's slowly unfolding smile lit his eyes as it widened.

Cupping his chin, Tony promised, "You will always be my boy, Levi."

For several seconds, the child just absorbed the words, evidently accepting that the oath was genuine.

Glancing at the clock, Tony stood and carefully placed him on the floor. "Now, I have to find some decent outfits for all of us so we can go to breakfast, 'cause they don't want us eating naked."

Levi giggled with delight.

Tony pointed towards Ava and inclined his head towards the birdwatchers."But something tells me that you have a very important thing you want to do first, don't you?"

Levi leaned over and kissed Tony's leg before rounding the table to stand on the other side of Ava. Tony watched as the child offered an apology, then couldn't restrain his satisfied sigh as Ava patted the space beside her and Elijah and invited Levi to join them.

A scant two hours later they climbed into the van for the final prong of the journey, the just shy of two hour drive from Greenville, South Carolina, to Athens, Georgia.

Tony's mind jumped from one area of practicality to another, attempting to establish what to prioritize once they actually arrived at the destination. The house they would occupy, he had been told, a safehouse, lay situated in a residential area near the Navy School's campus. Experience told him it would contain at least the bare minimum of furnishings, but he would make a thorough inventory later and see to securing what he and the kids needed. Thankfully, the agencies had commissioned the stocking of the kitchen with, they assured him, enough food to last a week to ten days.

At least grocery shopping could wait.

Despite his party boy persona, Tony faced the reality that making the situation work, and work believably, would require dedication, effort, and talent. An even more serious consideration lay in the underlying acknowledgement that at this point, all five children accepted the past several hours and the meetings prior to leaving D.C. as a temporary issue in their collective existence. Having experienced the justice system already, they had relocated before, a fact especially in the forefront of the minds of the older three.

Though all of them managed to relate positively to each other currently, Tony did not delude himself that his patience and confidence would not undergo some battering as soon as they lapsed into a genuine family routine. His father and abuela had warned that though the end result of the assignment would bring him immense joy and love, he needed to anticipate battles on the homefront while five little entities struggled to understand their futures.

Crossing serene Lake Hartwell, Tony pointed out that they officially had crossed into the heart of Dixie and the state of Georgia, and as he carefully maneuvered them onto country roads he narrated the state's history as one of the original thirteen new colonies of the United States and pointed to natural beauty of the environment as a selling point for the initial settlers.

Driving past farmland and animals delighted the younger kids, while Ethan expressed his disinterest in the scenery in general. Tony focused the conversation to the varied landscape of Georgia, which ranged from the mountain region they bordered, to the vast Atlantic Ocean, to flat lands and natural wonders such as the Okefenokee Swamp. As he talked he recognized his own excitement at encountering a new environment, and despite the evident challenges, the latest mission.

Even from the initial views of the periphery of the city, he could understand the appeal of Athens. Just skirting one edge of the town as they followed the route to the Navy School and residential area, the gorgeous Southern mansions and wide streets he travelled added to the air of genteel charm.

Tony checked the mirror and covertly witnessed Ethan's excited face as he gazed expectantly out of the window at the first sighting.

They located the Navy School, gated all around in black wrought iron and beautifully landscaped, and drove carefully past it as Tony squinted at street names. Finally locating the elementary school cited as the landmark to the subdivision, he turned into a neighborhood filled with towering trees, well maintained lawns, and beautiful, sprawling brick homes. The children fell silent, seeming to revere the introduction to the new phase of their lives, cemented once Tony pulled into the driveway and parked under the carport of their house, their new home.

Before they entered the actual door into the house, he insisted that they explore the property first, and he hoisted Vivienne to his shoulders.

Levi hastened to Tony's side and grabbed his left hand, swinging it as they walked, while Ava and Elijah raced ahead, running back and forth to call out what they saw. Ethan followed, silent but attentive and Tony beckoned him to his other side. He obeyed, but stayed a bit aloof.

Dogwoods, pines, an oak, and a tremendous Japanese magnolia graced both the front and back yards. Even Ethan stared in wonder at the towering magnolia, marveling in the scent of the flowers and then joining the others as Tony led them inside the canopy of branches and watched them scramble to climb it at once.

Securing Viv with a hand around the waist as she tried to follow, he held Elijah steady with the other. It came as no surprise that Levi jumped the branches reminiscent of a little monkey, while Ava doggedly followed. Ethan moved up several branches before seating himself on one and utilizing the one above him as his anchor, he swung gently, peeping down to grin at the toddlers.

Lost in the serenity around them blanketed all of them with a feeling of relief. This, then, was the unknown that had worried them the whole trip.

With a shock Tony realized Levi towered several feet above them all, threading his way nimbly through the foliage, and he called to him to stop and return. Pausing and peering down through the waxy leaves, Tony could barely make out his face, but did hear the shouted response.

"I'm going to go to the tip top," he insisted, setting back into the mission.

"Levi!" Tony demanded firmly, craning his head upwards and glimpsing flashes of the child's clothes. "If you don't get back down here to me by the time I count to ten, you will regret it!"

Levi paused and the sound of moving branches stilled.

"One….two….." Tony began, his voice no nonsense and non negotiable.

Levi bent down and peered through the greenery to gauge Tony's sincerity.

"Seven, twenty five, six," Elijah added helpfully, beaming when Tony laughed out loud at the toddler's contribution.

"Levi," Tony warned, "you will not be happy if I get to ten, I promise."

Evidently not willing to risk it, the boy began his descent without the aid of further counting.

Tony helped Vivienne and Elijah to the ground, but the baby tried at once to climb back. Ava shimmied down with just a little help, and Ethan jumped to the ground from the last couple of feet of branches.

Finally Levi appeared, face animated with the thrill of the activity. "I'm Tarzan," he whooped, then warned, "and Tarzan wants the daddy to catch him!"

Tony spread his arms and watched with pride as Levi stood and gained his balance, then launched himself downwards into Tony's embrace.

Laughing, Tony kissed the top of his head and set him down. "Wonderful tree climbing prowess, Tarzan, fantastic jump, and even smarter decision making skills when you obeyed getting back down here to me."

They finished the tour, excited at the beautiful azaleas, camellias, altheas, and abundance of summertime greenery, and Tony exhaled in relief at the size of the fenced backyard. The kids would have plenty of grassy play area.

Finally the exploration ended back where they had first started, right at the carport with entrances leading into both the den and the screened porch.

Whipping out the key with a flourish, Tony unlocked the door and ushered the children before him.

Deserting him at once, they scattered like ants, leaving him standing in the first room, the den, while they spread in all directions.

Tony took in the paneling and built in bookcases in the den before entering the kitchen and sunny breakfast room, both attractive, and then the living room, which shared a large area with the dining room. Outside of the breakfast room a tremendous screened porch faced the backyard, and Tony came to an instant halt when he found all five of the children rooted there, gazing out into the backyard and watching a baby deer standing up against the exterior part of the fence.

Leaving them there, he finished a quick tour of the house, pleasantly reassured as he introduced himself to each of the three bedrooms and two baths.

Oh yes, they could certainly live comfortably in this place!

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of activity, with Tony just scrambling to set up the rooms while juggling naps, diapers, directions and distractions for the kids.

Putting Elijah and Vivienne down for a siesta proved a fight to the finish, and Tony blamed himself for bringing forth the hysterical reactions by not getting them into their beds earlier. Beyond tired, both either screamed or cried themselves to sleep. Worse, Tony found himself forced to turn their belongings upside down until he located Elijah's security blanket, aka his cartoon hospital gown, and presented it to the toddler, whose hysterics at his misplaced possession still rang in Tony's ears.

As soon as they dozed, Tony located enough blankets to fashion serviceable sleep pallets in the den for the other three, and resisting their vehement insistence that in no way did they require restorative sleep, he insisted they lie down anyway.

Surprisingly, Ethan succumbed to the sleepman first, but Levi and Ava were not far behind.

It earned him a free hour to investigate the interior of the premises more thoroughly and to transfer all of their belongings into the proper rooms.

Children needed to belong, to feel ownership, to have the assurance that they could point to rooms and say that they were theirs.


	8. Deja Vu

Déjà vu

Winding around all of the bedroom furniture pieces which had been shoved into the master bedroom per his telephone request earlier in the week, Tony inventoried a menagerie of beds, bookcases, dressers, chests of drawers, and nightstands.

Spying the furnishings firsthand, he quickly decided what pieces would suit each child, as well as which he would utilize for his own bedroom.

Checking the physical floor space of each bedroom, he rolled the white bunny rabbit decaled crib softly, so as to not wake Vivienne, and piece by piece, a white and gold French provincially styled bed for Ava into the smaller of the two bedrooms. Working quickly, he put together the frame, mentally thanking his dad for insisting upon sending a toolbox equipped with the necessities as a going away present. The box springs and mattress followed, and he located linens and expertly made the bed before sliding in a dresser for the girls, a light pine nightstand, and a chest of drawers which matched.

Grabbing the door frame at the top he leaned against the side frame and assessed the layout once he finished. He liked it, though later he wanted to pick up a few extras to make the space more cozy.

It took a bit of contemplation to decide how to position three beds to allow maximum movement for the three boys in their room. With the larger bedroom, though, he managed to give each plenty of space and still fit in a desk, a dresser, and a bookcase for Ethan, Levi, and Elijah, all with wood the tint of caramel candy. The space certainly would benefit from attention to curtains and linens, but still looked all right.

Tiptoeing into the den, he noted that the older three already stirred restlessly.

Working against time before the kids fully woke, he grabbed armfuls of belongings and jogged down the hall to deliver them to their rightful bedrooms.

He placed each boy's possessions on his bed.

A picture of his abuela popped into his brain and he stopped short of putting up the clothes, deciding correctly that his grandmother would tell him to involve the children in taking responsibility for storing their own belongings.

He sighed, not entirely positive he should initiate that responsibility yet. Ethan probably could rise to the task, but he had no qualms about the fact that he would have to assist the others.

Anxiety suddenly crept into his thoughts.

Tony had a scant two weeks to create a working, cohesive household before he needed to report to his job on the Navy School Campus, and one portion of him already felt daunted and overwhelmed. Within that same time frame, Ava, Levi, and Ethan would begin attendance at the elementary school, meaning he had to register and enroll them, plus shop for school supplies. Vivienne and Elijah would require day care services, another matter which necessitated his immediate attention.

As intimidating as all of that sounded while swirling around in his consciousness, he believed he could make it happen if he tackled one issue at a time, rather than confront the entire picture.

He could, couldn't he?

Elijah padding into the room snapped him back to reality. The three year old held up his arms and Tony kissed his cheek as he swung him to sit astride his hip.

Within an hour and a half all five children had waked and been fed snacks and juice, and once again Tony mentally professed his gratitude to the heroes who had shopped for groceries for his new family.

Afterwards, Vivienne streaked through the house with just a diaper, which Tony managed to secure before she wriggled from his grasp to run squealing in delight up and down the carpeted hall. Ready to play, as well, Elijah found a stuffed green and brown frog from his bag and crawled in and out of rooms with it dangling from his mouth, creating his own entertainment.

Maneuvering through the chaos, Tony supervised the older three in sorting through their belongings, unpacking everything, and finding a place for all of their possessions. With a shock, he realized it was pitifully little for each of them individually, and his heart ached.

He would remedy that, though.

He managed to do the same for the youngest two, mentally making notes of the number of outfits while examining the dearth of toys and playthings.

He could change that, as well.

By late afternoon he felt he could breathe, but dared not rest for fear he would give in to the exhaustion nipping at him.

Another fifteen minutes of dedication got his own room in ship shape, despite stopping to examine Ava's stubbed toe and relieving Elijah of nails from the toolbox.

Elijah chased Vivienne, who was squealing with delight, into the room. Tony couldn't resist pausing to watch them play with such abandon. As little ones often do, both suddenly halted that activity midstream and wriggled under Tony's bed, popping in and out from their hiding place, delighted every time Tony feigned surprise at their reappearance.

He took a quick break to check the progress Ava, Levi, and Ethan had made. The younger two had worked diligently, and Tony bragged on their initiative and helped them to hang clothing in the closets before telling them to take a break.

Ethan, however, had relegated himself to a hiatus already. Narrowing his green eyes, Tony tracked him down in the den, carefree and focused upon a television movie. Without a word he powered off the television against Ethan's immediate vocalized wishes, reminding him that the television viewing depended upon Tony's approval over the progress in his room.

With ill grace, Ethan flung himself down the hall, stomping most of the route to the room he shared with Levi and Elijah.

Following, Tony turned into his own room, but not before calling Ethan into his room before the boy resumed his chores.

Vivienne and Elijah had moved to a corner of the room and knelt in the fascinated contemplation of a baseboard-mounted door stopper.

Moving methodically from his own closet to the dresser as he stocked and arranged his personal belongings, Tony cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Why do you imagine I asked you to come speak with me before you went to your own room?"

Ethan shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. "Who cares? It doesn't matter."

Inhaling a steadying breath, Tony took control of his immediate reaction and responded firmly but calmly, "That is not an acceptable answer to me, nor is your decision to phrase it in the disrespectful manner which you chose. Stop right where you are, turn and face me, and if you do not take care of your attitude at once, it will fall to me to do it for you, Ethan."

Tony stood still and waited, his dad's words in a long ago confrontation just like this one ringing in his memory. Like Ethan, he had pushed boundaries with Jethro upon a multitude of occasions, no matter how ill advised, and like his dad then, the reaction was swift and uncompromising.

Biting the edge of his lip, Tony conceded guiltily that his conduct had reverberated exactly the same way to Jethro all of those years ago that Ethan's did to him now.

With pursed lips and thinly disguised annoyance, Ethan narrowed his eyes and focused at a spot a bit to the side of Tony.

Still, he had followed the directive. That in itself provided a victory.

"Much better," Tony pronounced, "and I expect that ten minutes from now, when I check, you will not only have taken care of the original task I gave you, but will have lent your expertise to also help Levi. I think I have pretty much taken care of Elijah, but please double check his drawers and clothing. Now, do you understand my expectations of you this afternoon?"

Sighing as he closed his eyes, Ethan nodded.

"Verbal response," Tony clarified, "and look at me as you say it. When you give someone your word, or your assurance, you seal the deal by looking the other party in the eye."

"I understand, then," the boy confirmed, squaring his shoulders before meeting Tony's gaze.

Several seconds passed.

Softening, Tony grinned. "Good, then go take care of your obligations." He smiled widely then, gesturing the boy towards the hall.

Before he could analyze his first real adult- child showdown, Elijah grabbed his focus. Using the bed rail as a launching step, the toddler utilized it to propel himself onto Tony's mattress. Scrambling to a standing position and gaining his footing, he commenced jumping with unrestrained glee upon the bedsprings, ignoring Tony's immediate commands to stop.

Left below, Vivienne attempted to follow the same path and fell short, leading to frustrated wails.

Like that, he found himself with a madhouse on his hands.

"Elijah," he snapped, "get off that bed right this second. We don't ever jump on furniture!" Somewhere inside his sub conscious a stab of guilt impaled him. The same words had been fired at him as a child, for exactly the same reason.

Tony grabbed the little boy mid jump and sat him down on the now crumpled covers. "I told you to stop jumping and I meant it. You could get hurt doing that."

Unimpressed, Elijah scrambled into a standing position and launched himself towards the ceiling again.

Tony yanked him off the bed mid-flight, ignored Elijah's shrill screams of protest, crossed the room, and placed him in the armchair in one corner. "You have earned yourself a timeout, Little Man. When I tell you no, then no is what I mean. Do not move from your seat until I tell you that you may do so."

Checking his watch, he added, "three minutes, Elijah, and you may not get up or talk during that time or I will restart the punishment. Then it will be far longer than three minutes."

Dramatically, the toddler crossed his own arms on the chair's arm before putting his head down, hiding his face from view.

Tony smirked, recalling his own history of pouting as a child.

That provided familiar territory and personal experience.

Vivienne regarded him wide eyed, fingers thrust into her mouth as she sucked at them steadily.

"Three minutes, Vivi," he leaned down and took her left hand, pulling three fingers up and counting as he did. "One, two, and three, and then Elijah will be able to rejoin you."

She smiled over the fingers jammed in her mouth.

Levi and Ava appeared at the door, apparently on a mission.

"What did Elijah do?" Levi questioned thoughtfully when he discovered him in the chair. Hearing his name, the miscreant peeped from under his arms, hoping for a reprieve.

Ava turned her head sideways to regard him, as well, and Tony looked from them to Elijah. What was so fascinating about a timeout?

"Well, Elijah chose to disobey me, and because of than, I punished him. He has served some hard time in that chair. But you came at an opportune moment because his timeout will expire mere moments from now."

Levi stepped back, concern on his face. "Elijah didn't do what the daddy said?"

Creeping closer to the chair, Ava regarded Tony and tried to sort the information. "The daddy put Elijah in timeout?"

"Actually the daddy, I mean I, I , never mind, yes, you are both correct." Tony rubbed his chin and called out, "Ok, Elijah, your timeout finished and you may climb off of the chair and back to toddler business once you tell me why I punished you."

"I did bad," Elijah responded promptly, sitting up fully and regarding his audience. "Now I'm good," he grinned to strengthen the assurance.

Tony laughed. "Ok, then, why don't all three of you head out to the backyard to play for a while? Stay inside the fence."

Without further urging, they took off, and he made a mental note to buy some outdoor toys for them. The yard begged for kid friendly items.


	9. Never Ending Obligations

Never Ending Obligations

Stretching, he decided he needed to turn his focus upon supper for them all. First, though, he had assured Ethan he would check his work, and he needed to do as he had said.

Surprisingly, Ethan had obeyed his instructions and the room the three boys shared looked pretty decent. Tony complimented him and Ethan answered with a shy grin, with no trace of his earlier attitude influencing him.

Throwing an arm around the boy's shoulders, the two walked together down the hall.

"Can I watch television now?" Ethan requested hopefully.

"Actually, I want you to go outside for at least a half hour. You need some run around time, some physical activity. It's good for your muscles."

Bewildered, Ethan queried, "And do what?"

"Run, climb, whatever- I want you to just play and exercise those good muscles of yours. You spent so many hours in the car that your body needs movement."

Nodding cooperatively, Ethan crossed through the sun porch and joined the others in the backyard. Tony stood in the doorway watching all of them several seconds, relieved that he had brought them safely to a protected place with a fenced yard.

Drumming his fingers on the wall beside him, he murmured out loud, "Reminder to self, pick up some outdoor play items for the kids the second I get a chance to shop."

His list continued to grow as the hours brought about more areas of deficit.

Maybe the list would continue into perpetuity, with one item replacing another as the must-have merchandise.

Rummaging through the refrigerator and cabinets, he concluded from the grocery inventory that the supplies would keep them fed two or three days. After that, it would fall on him to buy groceries, fix meals, and feed them, and with a twinge, he realized that the children needed fruits and vegetables daily along with milk and proteins.

He must think like a parent now.

Wait- he was a parent, not like a parent!

Today, though, today he had already exhausted himself making their house their home. Tonight he wanted quick and easy to determine the menu.

He settled on tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, and managed to get everyone fed within an hour.

"I plan to shower later," he announced brightly to no one in particular, "but what I need now involves all of you bathing. We got dirty from the yard and the trip and unpacking, but our sheets are deliciously clean."

Quickly, Ethan responded, "I will shower, too. I want a shower instead of a bath."

That helped Tony plan the logistics.

Levi pointed out that sheets could certainly not find themselves described as delicious, since that applied to food.

He laughed delightedly at the grammar lesson.

Enlisting the help of the three oldest, the kitchen sparkled cleanly a few minutes later.

Ruefully he reminded himself that though they cooperated with enforced labor willingly tonight, common sense pointed to their balking at tending to chores later.

Calling to Vivienne, he motioned her to walk with him and told Ava to follow them, also. She skipped behind the smaller child, and he led the tiny girls to their room and chose nightclothes while Ava took the baby's hand and narrated as she toured the room, pointing out their furniture and clothing. Vivienne proved a rapt audience, clapping gleefully when Ava opened the bifold closet doors with a flourish.

At least she appeared to revel in the idea of a roommate.

Tony interrupted the exploration, assuring the two that they would have weeks to enjoy their room, but that at present, he wanted them to bathe.

Watching the tub fill, Tony sat on the closed toilet and supervised as the girls brushed their teeth. Viv copied Ava stroke by stroke, and he found it difficult to hold in his amusement.

Ava told him firmly, and repeatedly, that baths practically rocked with fun when accompanied with bubble bath, which she promised him stayed stocked on grocery shelves, and that he needed to buy some for them.

Would the daddy buy the kind that featured a cartoon character on the front label?

Offering his agreement, he added that a couple of toys wouldn't hurt the bathing experience either.

Witnessing Ava use the toilet, the baby clamored to do so, as well, and Tony added a potty chair to his mental list as top priority. In lieu of one he stooped in front of the toilet and held her steady as she sat, smiling as she beamed delightedly at him, her dimpled chin moving as she tilted her head.

Evidently, she planned to copy the five year old at every turn.

After a couple of minutes he decided to call it quits, but he swung her in an arc into the water where Ava already splashed. Singing silly nonsense songs, he bathed both of them first before he left them to play while he checked on the boys.

In the den, all three had assembled around the television watching an animal show, and Tony pointed to Ethan and waved him towards him. "Hey, now if you want to shower instead of bathe, go ahead and do that now. Use the shower in my room, and I put some towels in the linen closet in the hall."

Surprisingly, Ethan got up without a word or argument about missing the show, and Levi jumped up and trotted after him.

Tony put out a restraining hand and snared him by the shoulder. "Hold on, Sport. Only Ethan will shower. You and Elijah are going to take a bath after the girls finish with theirs."

Provided with that interesting information, Elijah jumped up and approached, his topaz eyes dancing with anticipation. "Will the daddy make us bubbles?"

Sighing dramatically, Tony admitted, "Unfortunately, we don't have any bubbles in the homestead."

Levi furrowed his brow and turned to regard Elijah, offering an apology. "I guess the daddy forgot."

Tony opened his mouth to defend himself, then stopped.

In the eyes of the kids, he should have taken care of business before bathtime appeared on their horizon.  
>Did they ask for excuses? No, they requested soapy fun.<p>

"Ok, you two hang out here a minute, please, while I check on the girls and Ethan."

When he passed the bathtub Vivienne and Ava had their washcloths plastered to their faces. He could hear them giggling together, even under the fabric.

Levi had first addressed him as the daddy, but the others appeared satisfied to parrot him. Except for Ethan, of course, and Tony mentally reviewed his conversations with the oldest and concluded the boy called him nothing at all.

Anyway, hearing the name un-nerved him at first, because hearing it made him automatically look for Jethro.

Since he took over parenting the five, though, the cloak of fatherhood had landed squarely on his shoulders, rather than upon anyone else's.

The daddy rubbed his temples, a headache developing from, he guessed, the stress of getting the brood safely to Athens and semi settled.

Tapping on the door to the bath in his room, he observed that Ethan had left the sliding door of the shower partially open, and water sprayed out and puddled on the tile floor. He called to the boy and Ethan popped his head out and shared that he had forgotten to get himself a towel. After telling him to close the shower stall Tony brought a thick, fluffy towel and left it on the rack for him before returning to Ava and Vivienne.

Draining the tub, he wrapped both girls in their own towels and swung them from the water, setting them firmly on the rug as he briskly dried them.

Pointing them towards their room, he told them to go ahead while he straightened the bath.

When he joined them they had both climbed onto Ava's bed.

Ava had pulled on her own nightgown, and struggled to get Vivienne's over her head. In her eagerness to cooperate, the baby had managed to cram her head and both arms through the opening for her neck.

Untangling her, Tony praised Ava for showing initiative. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of the nose, and Vivienne elbowed herself into a position so Tony would kiss her, as well.

Laughing at her antics, he did, before grabbing a diaper and securing it.

Then, he gently brushed hair for both of them.

The baby's straight dark blond hair still retained that fineness of infanthood, while Ava's honey tinted wavy hair had transformed into tendrils from the damp of the tub.

"Can we watch television?" Ava questioned hopefully, sliding to the ground and twirling a couple of times so her nightgown would swirl around her.

"For a little bit," Tony agreed. "But bedtime is nearly here."

Tony set the baby on the floor beside her. She performed her best take on Ava's twirl, giggling with delight as she spun.

Reacting instinctively, Tony steadied her, keeping her upright.

"Come on, Vivi," Ava invited, clasping the tiny hand. "Let's watch tv together. The daddy said we could."

Regarding him with a happy grin, Viv's dimpled chin made her resemble a pixie. Vivienne left him without a backward glance and followed behind Ava.

Tony sat on the bed another minute or two. It bothered him that the children had no books. At least, none had found their way to Athens, and the extent of their exposure to stories probably fared the same. He would remedy that. No single item should matter more than a book to read at their ages. Besides that, literacy impacted academics.

He assured himself that their first outing should include a visit to a bookstore so that they could all choose books they wanted.

Calling to Elijah and Levi, he traded places and entered their room, taking the opportunity to consider what he felt the room lacked as he waited for them to join him.

Pulling out pajamas he listened indulgently to both boys, who chattered excitedly as the tub filled and even as they brushed their teeth.

Ethan passed and peeked into the bathroom, clutching his dirty clothes. Tony gave him directions to put them in the laundry room off the den, where he had already taken the clothing from the girls.

Smiling shyly, Ethan motioned for Levi and Elijah's items as well, and it pleased Tony that he had volunteered to do more than he was asked.

He returned quickly, and requested the one brush it appeared the motley family possessed. Tony located it for him and reminded him to brush his teeth, as well, before joining the girls to watch a show.

Ethan's pleasant demeanor continued.

With a smirk Tony realized Ethan understood at his age that his dark brown hair, with bangs that would soon require trimming, was an asset.

Levi and Elijah played so well and enjoyed themselves so much that Tony had to pry them from the water. Once in pajamas he sent them to join the others and cleaned the bathroom.

He peeped at all of them before indulging in his own steaming hot shower. Despite his longing to lean against the shower stall and just allow the steam to unkink taut muscles and soothe frayed nerves, reality intruded. He could enjoy no more than a few minutes out of sight without checking the little ones, and time ticked towards tackling the bedtime process.

It occurred to him that with the exception of enjoying books tonight, he should establish the bedtime routine and keep it sacred. At no time in his childhood did he doubt the expectations of the bedtime ritual, having experienced the routine for years.

As an adult now he understood why the ritual made both practical and emotional sense.

Hair damp from the steam, he hauled his own clothing to the laundry room, and noted with amusement that the progeny had drooped in his absence.

Bedtime called all of them.


	10. Comfort and Reassurance

Comfort and Reassurance

Their den boasted an oak rocker, and he took advantage of its presence to sink tiredly into its cushions. Signaling Vivienne and Elijah to join him, he pulled them onto his lap and placed one on one side and one on the other. Whispering soothingly as he rocked them, he relied upon the model of the thousands of times his father and abuela had rocked him to cuddle the youngest.

Both children sputtered to a stop pretty quickly, and Tony carried them out of the den, one on each hip. He put Vivienne down in her crib and patted her back softly, humming softly as she scooted onto all fours. Before he finished the song, she fell asleep facing the wall.

Clutching his hospital gown in one fist, Elijah insisted Tony continue to hold him, and fell asleep in the middle of the prayer Tony was teaching him.

Sliding out from under the toddler, he straightened the covers, then made his way into the hall, pulling both doors almost shut and powering off the lights.

Shrugging his shoulders, he tried vainly to unkink his shoulder and back muscles. This parenting sapped every ounce of energy within him, even what he thought he had in reserve.

Could it just be days in which he had evolved into the sole parent for these five children? How long ago did he pull out of D.C. anyway? Forever?

He would dance, and sing, and cheer and it would turn into a celebratory event the day Jethro and Maria finally agreed to discuss childrearing with him. All he needed was guidance, and specific instructions, but the two deliberately joined forces, as they so often had in the past, and decided not to share the wealth of knowledge they gained from- get this- from rearing him!

What kind of people did that? It was like those animals that ate their young.

Smirking at a mental picture of Jethro and Maria devastated at finding his lifeless body, emaciated and obviously broken, Tony assured himself they would then regret keeping him in the dark.

Necessity forced him back to the present and he groaned loudly.

What kind of energy did a parent have to embrace to make it eighteen years?

Sighing, he motioned to Ava and Levi once he returned to the den. Neither agreed to go willingly, whining about the television, and he barely held on to his patience.

"Yes, I understand that you would like to stay awake longer and watch another show. However, I have not offered that as an option tonight. Your only course of action involves coming with me right now and climbing into your beds. I will stay and listen to your prayers and kiss you goodnight, but then I expect you to sleep."

Ava managed to begin weeping, but Tony hardened his heart against any dramatics. Levi fell to the floor and insisted he would slither to the room like a snake, but calculating the time that would take, Tony nixed the idea.

Half carrying one and leading the other, he warned both not to wake Elijah and Vivienne when he led both to their bedrooms and into their beds.

Finally, he tucked in Levi, then Ava, worked on prayers, and offered goodnight kisses.

Evidently too tired to argue about bedtime, Ethan cut off the television when he spied Tony's return and made his way to his room without protest. Tony brushed back the boy's hair as he prayed, and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

Mission accomplished.

At last, they were all down for the night.

Returning to the den, he tidied it, then worked his way into the laundry area. He double checked all of the clothing for anything left in pockets and divided everything into groups of whites or coloreds before calling it quits.

The laundry would have to wait.

Double checking that he had locked all doors securely, he peeped into bedrooms and checked each child before entering his own room and collapsing upon his bed. The past days had wiped him out, both physically and mentally, and within a matter of minutes he drifted into a deep sleep.

Later, something nipped at the edges of his consciousness, and Tony shifted in the bed, still fairly deep into his sleep cycle. Unsympathetic to his mental and physical fatigue, the intrusion continued however, eventually yanking him away from blissful slumber and into an unwanted, sudden awakening.

Blinking in confusion, he turned to regard the clock- a little after three.

He groaned loudly, every muscle in his body screaming for rest.

With luck he still had three or four hours ahead of him to fall back into welcome oblivion.

Again, though, a noise intruded, and Tony jerked himself upright, rubbing his chin until he pinpointed the origin of the sound. Disentangling himself from the comforter, he padded out of the bedroom and flipped on the hall light.

Peeping into Ava and Viv's room he saw both of his girls had barely shifted since he tucked them into their beds.

That meant one of the boys was restless enough to disturb him all the way down the hall.

He slipped the door open as quietly as he could, but held it ajar far enough to identify each child as he lay in his bed. Levi and Elijah cocooned themselves in mounds of covers, evidently having not waked at all.

That left Ethan.

Tony crept closer as he scanned the room. Ethan thrashed within the covers, his face mirroring some inner turmoil slamming into him as he dreamed. Pulling at the sheet, Tony managed to untangle the child and smooth the covers back, hopeful that the simple act would calm the boy. It helped somewhat, but Ethan turned his head and moaned softly, evidently mired in a nightmare.

Empathetic to the suffering, Tony lowered himself onto the bed and began rubbing the boy's temples and hair, whispering soothingly in an attempt to offer solace. The shift in the bedsprings disrupted the child's night terror.

Ethan's eyes flew open and he focused upon Tony with relief, then launched his body so that half of him lay across Tony's lap.

Startled at the evident, debilitating fear, Tony rubbed Ethan's back firmly. "You had a nightmare, Ethan, just a dream. It wasn't real."

Nodding, the boy made no verbal response and stayed immobile over Tony's lap and legs.

"It upset you, though," Tony theorized, "because I heard you from my room and I think it was because you got scared."

"Sorry," the boy mumbled into the covers bunched around him.

"No problem," Tony reassured him, "but I want you to tell me about it."

For several seconds Tony expected the boy to refuse.

However, the opposite occurred.

Ethan flipped so that he faced Tony, and quickly brushed away tears that suddenly made their appearance as a reaction to a maelstrom of emotions.

"What happened, Ethan?" Tony prodded gently, continuing to brush back the child's hair.

Ethan closed his eyes again but whispered, "My mom- my mom and I were chased and she yelled that we had to run and jump over this fence- a wire one. I jumped and landed on the ground on the other side, the safe side, but when I scrambled up there was no mom with me. I screamed and screamed for her and tried to climb the fence to get back to the other side, but every time I made it up halfway I would slide back down and fall on the dirt."

"Oh, wow," Tony murmured, "That was rough. That would terrify me, too."

Ethan put one hand over Tony's, squeezing into Tony's palm. "No, you don't understand. I failed her."

Shaking his head slowly, Tony put one hand on the side of Ethan's cheek and held it there. "It seemed that way to you, didn't it, because you just saw one side in your dream? But the truth is that you didn't fail her at all. I can promise you that you made her very happy because you obeyed her instructions and ran. She knew that you made it to safety over the fence. Even though she didn't join you, you gave her a tremendous gift, the gift of knowing you would be ok."

Ethan regarded him, evidently weighing Tony's interpretation and hoping to believe it.

"To a parent," Tony continued, "nothing compares to keeping the children safe, and I do mean absolutely nothing. You gave your mama relief and hope, Ethan, and that is exactly what the dream tried to tell you. It was your subconscious reminding you that you always brought happiness and love to your mom."

Tears began to trail down Ethan's cheeks. Scowling, he began wiping vigorously at his cheeks.

"See, you mixed up your real life, and losing your mother, into this dream tonight. Personally, I think that you needed to be shown, even if it were a bit scary, that keeping you protected was something your mom considered her main mission."

Leaning down, Tony smiled sadly. "Let me assure you, Ethan, that I am so terribly sorry that you lost your mom, son. I know how deeply it hurts you."

A flash of appreciation crossed the boy's face.

Tony slid off of the bed and stood, stretching as he finished. "The dream won't return now, because you just answered it yourself within the dream. However, what upset you deep down before the dream and every day since you lost her was about your mom not being able to save herself. Ethan, son, you could not have saved her, either."

Ethan watched him, and Tony saw comprehension cross his face.

"Why don't you go use the bathroom and get a drink of water? I'll leave my door open, and if you get scared or worried again, just come get me." Patting the child's leg, Tony left.

Without waiting for a response he returned to his own room. Sliding into the covers a second time, he listened as Ethan did as Tony suggested.

Plumping his pillow, Tony sighed with relief, grateful that he had found the words to calm the boy.

Before he could close his eyes a small shadow appeared, approached, and then climbed onto the empty side of the bed.

Tony reached a hand behind him and patted his temporary bedfellow.

He and Ethan fell back asleep at the same time.

Juggling bowls of breakfast cereal the next morning as he filled glass after glass with orange juice, Tony decided his foremost mission involved staying afloat the next couple of days by any means he could employ.

Sighing, he grabbed the spoon Ava dropped to the floor and replaced the utensil with a clean one. Though grateful for the dishes, silverware, and supplies stocked in the kitchen, he needed to personally (and actively) shop for those items he felt would help smooth their meals.

Grinning at Vivienne holding court in her high chair, he rounded the table to right Elijah once again on the suitcase he had placed in the boy's chair to help him reach the table. Whenever the boy moved, the luggage followed. Next to him little Ava sat uncomfortably on her knees, stretching her torso to provide height enough to reach her bowl and glass. Like Elijah, she could certainly benefit from a booster chair.

Pursing his lips, Tony added seats to his already incredibly long and detailed mental shopping list.

Though Levi chattered non stop throughout the meal, Ethan remained pretty quiet. Tony glanced at him several times, concerned that he still worried over the nightmare of the night before. At least the rest of his night had passed peacefully, and he had slept later than any of the others once secure in Tony's room.

Replacing the cartons of juice and milk to the refrigerator's top shelf, the only adult in the room recognized the necessity of distributing age appropriate tasks.

Soon, Tony decided, he would allocate small chores to all of them, just as his dad and abuela had done. Both had firmly believed in the importance of fostering responsibility.

He could remember that even as a toddler, the expectations centered around participating in the successful running of the household.

Noting a dozen eggs on the second shelf, he felt a stab of guilt. He should have whipped up a hot breakfast for the kids, rather than sugar laden cereal.

Maybe he could plan menus, ahead of time, of course. Then he would address everyone's health by supervising what he offered and served.

First, though, he wanted to lead the children in exploring their neighborhood, already pretty sure that they would gain a sense of ownership to the new home if they felt a part of it. It had occurred to him earlier that in their little lives, they existed as transients who moved from one place to another with little reason to care about their environments. For the length of time they spent with him, though, he could add a layer of belonging to their security, rooted in the flora and fauna of their new environment.


	11. Environmental Gifts

Environmental Gifts

Slipping up behind Elijah, he wiped the little boy's mouth with half a paper towel, titling the little chin back and noting the boy's high cheekbones as he did so. "If that insatiable appetite of yours continues, you will outgrow Ethan soon. Would you like that, my little man, to get as tall as Ethan?"

The toddler grinned with delight, and Tony swung him out of the chair and onto the floor, grabbing the suitcase and setting it beside the chair. Handing Elijah his empty bowl and glass he directed him to place the dishes by the sink.

Ava followed, but it took a little longer for Tony to help the others finish and then deal with dishes and the cleanup.

Hearing the television come to life in the den as he loaded the dishwasher Tony called out

firmly, "No television during the day," and then strode purposefully into the room when he heard no change in the volume. As he suspected, they had ignored him.

Ethan and Elijah stood in front of the set, evidently mesmerized by the screen, while Ava and Levi had taken seats on the floor.

Determining Viv's whereabouts interrupted his immediate mission, and he hurried to the sofa where she struggled to climb up onto the cushions using her elbows and knees. It was impossible not to smile at the determination. He righted her, then returned to the television and pressed off the power button.

Loud protests followed, but Tony refused to reconsider and held his palms out as a signal to stop. "Absolutely no television will play until evening, and only then only if I have approved the choice. We are not spending our days glued to videos."

"That's stupid." Having worked himself up into some outrage, Ethan practically spat the pronouncement as he awarded Tony an angry glare.

The response followed immediately. "Watch the way that you are talking to me, Young Man," Tony warned, raising his eyebrows and staring directly at Ethan. "Because if your tone of voice sounds disrespectful the next time you use it, and if your attitude does not improve instantly, I will respond with a consequence."

"I want to see the tv!" Levi insisted, folding both arms defiantly across his chest and joining the opposition. "The daddy is mean to cut off our show."

"Mean or not, I control the television, and my decision has not changed," Tony assured him. "Please know that the same promise applies to you. I would hate for your day to really begin with a punishment, but oh well, if you earn one, I will give one." He narrowed his eyes, and Levi, suddenly ready to protect himself, changed from a frown to a small grin.

Amused at the transformation, Tony continued. "Now, this morning I plan to explore this neighborhood, and this afternoon we will get some shopping done after naptime. We need to get going though. Chop, chop! I expect all of you to have used the bathroom and brushed your teeth in the next ten minutes. Clear?"

Jumping up to obey, Ava grabbed his hand and frowned, "Will the daddy brush his teeth, too?"

"Oh yes," Tony smiled, "indeed I will, but Elijah, Vivienne, and I will brush ours together. I thought the big kids could work alone without supervision."

Flattered to have been included with the more mature group, Ava squared her shoulders. Eyeing the little ones in question, she tilted her head. "But will the daddy make me pigtails today?"

Tony recoiled, having barely managed to supervise just getting five heads brushed and hair detangled with a minimum of tears that morning. He certainly had no aptitude for styling hair, nor did he have a burning desire to learn.

She regarded him hopefully. "Please?"

Pursing his lips he felt his resolution weaken with her plea and he compromised. "Know what? We have none of those little barrette things we need to tie up the pony tails. How about we look for some today, and then tomorrow we'll try?"

Delighted, she clapped at the idea of new hair ornaments. "Can I get ribbons, too?"

Happy to have bought himself time to find out how to make pigtails, he immediately agreed, then got back to business.

"Ok, all of you get ready," he ordered, calling to Elijah and Viv to follow him. Viv scooted off of the sofa, her diapered bottom in the air as she scaled to the floor.

Tony deliberately waited until the three oldest trekked from the room before he did, making sure they did not touch the television.

One small battle won, but an important one in the grand scheme of managing five children.

He grinned at the triumph.

Half an hour later they trekked through the woods, rambunctious and eager, with Tony pointing out types of trees and bushes as the kids stomped joyfully towards the river which wound its way throughout the neighborhood. Their excitement at encountering deer, and chipmunks, and even squirrels delighted him, and watching them play with such abandonment filled him with a peace which had eluded him since he first agreed to protect them.

Later, tromping back onto pavement and winding their way around the subdivision's streets they passed homes which clearly housed other kids.

Tony appraised the lawns. From the looks of things, the children would not suffer from a lack of friends while in Athens! Just noting the contents of yards Tony felt confident that their neighbors ranged from preschool to high school.

Better yet, at a couple of homes children played in their yards. In the way that little ones do, Tony's five exchanged promising and curious glances with the new kids they encountered, and Tony congratulated himself on insisting they share this activity.

He predicted their stay would end with some friendships formed for his little ones, and created within a couple of days, at that.

Returning to the house he gave them carte blanche to play in either the sunroom or the fenced yard, refusing all pleas to activate the television.

Gathering the house phone and the list of predetermined contacts in Athens, he lounged against a counter in the kitchen which offered him a view of both the screened porch/ sunroom and the backyard. Drumming his pen against the counter, he dialed while craning his neck to follow Vivienne's progress towards the picnic table, which Levi had scaled to pull himself against a tall pine.

Smiling softly, Tony felt a swell of pride as the little boy wrapped his thin arms and legs around the tree and began to shimmy his way over the rough bark.

A gruff voice snapped him from his preoccupation, and he stammered an introduction to the Commandant at the Navy School, who softened once he realized who had called him. Certainly, he assured Tony, he had expected to hear and to receive a report on his status in Athens.

Beginning a bulleted list to document anything important, Tony peeped into the sunporch as he wrote. Elijah sat curled in one of the rattan chairs, gazing at nothing in particular.

After comparing and contrasting Tony's future duties at the Navy School and the position of all five children, the Commandant assured the young man that until Tony secured day care for the smaller ones and school began, he had the names of two sitters cleared by a hiring agency and vetted by him personally, who could at least provide some relief. The older man emphasized the last thought with a belly laugh, advising his newest employee to take advantage of any chance to shop childless.

Tony jumped at the opportunity of babysitting help, and the Commandant and he spent the remainder of the conversation clarifying funding for the running of the household. Together they finalized his responsibilities for his first official day at work before disconnecting.

Leaving the phone on the counter Tony strode to the breakfast room doorway where he could get a view of the porch and the yard. Ava had found an earthenware flower pot and moved from one flowering bush to the other, picking flowers and dropping them into her pseudo vase.

Suddenly he felt a stab of panic and pivoted. Where was Elijah? Jogging towards the outside door he grabbed the handle at the same time he spied the toddler, who swung on the old fashioned two seater swing suspended from an iron frame. Too little to make it into the seat, Elijah had grabbed it from the bottom and managed to pull his upper body onto the red seat. Tony could hear him singing as his legs swung.

Vivienne still inspected Levi's tree climbing progress with fascination.

Thrusting his hands in his pockets Tony watched the four outdoors a couple of minutes before turning to regard Ethan. "Why don't you join the others?"

"Maybe 'cause I want to be alone," snapped the nine year old, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Tony.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but have I not spoken to you once today about that tone of voice and disrespect?"

Choosing not to respond, Ethan glanced down at his hands- guiltily, Tony hoped.

"So to make sure that we think in tandem here, I am the adult and you are the child. You, the child, have been given two generous warnings about disrespect, both coming after breakfast and before lunch. Therefore, if you try this again, you will need to expect a punishment, a consequence from me."

Ethan clenched his jaw but did not respond. Tony tilted his head slightly, then made his way back to the kitchen.

His point had been pretty clear.

Checking the first sitter's number, he dialed, hoping for the best. No one answered, but he did have the opportunity to leave a message.

Luck surrounded his second attempt, though, and he found himself speaking personally to a graduate student who babysat to earn extra money. Even better, she owned a car and could drive herself, and agreed to come that day at lunch.

Tony nearly danced with delight. He had not gotten a moment to himself in days, and the prospect of lunch away and then tending to shopping without five mouths and ten additional hands seemed positively utopic.

Tony's brow furrowed as he repeated utopic in his head. Utopia was the state, a noun, he knew, but did such a word as utopic exist as the adjective for it?

Smirking, he whistled under his breath. What did it even matter if his high school English teacher would approve?

Soon he would exploit the freedom of sliding behind the wheel without counting heads, double checking child restraints, or supervising a soul other than himself!

The visual reminder cheered him, but quickly he turned to practical matters. Necessity demanded he present the sitter with a job she could conceivably handle, which meant beginning preparations for lunch at the same time that he composed notes about specifics for the children.

Double checking all of them, he grinned when he noted that a couple of kids from the neighborhood had wandered into their yard, assessing the ages and social skills of his brood from right across the fence.

Suddenly Ethan slid past him like a whirlwind and left the sunroom, slamming the screen as he headed into the yard. Moving back through the breakfast room to the kitchen and his note taking, Tony considered the motivation for Ethan's hasty departure might feature their school aged neighbors.

A commotion of activity and burst of noise permeated his thoughts, so he retraced his steps and strode into the sunroom in time to see Levi helping Elijah off of the ground by the swing.

Alarmed, he hurried into the yard himself. Voices from everyone except Vivienne called out to him as he appeared on the scene. Kneeling down to check Elijah, Tony gathered from the accusers that Ethan deliberately had shoved the swing to knock the younger child to the ground.

Brushing off the debris at the same time that the little boy clutched Tony behind the neck, Tony did his best to calm him before placing him astride his hip and to carry him inside.

Locating Ethan ambling alongside one area of the fence, Tony snapped at him to head directly into the house. Trying to appear unconcerned, evidently as a bid to impress their visitors, Ethan strolled sedately after Tony.

Not positive that Tony identified Ethan as the culprit, Ava and Levi rushed over to remind him again that Elijah's status was that of victim, and Ethan's that of the aggressor. Yanking at his hands, they passionately provided their eyewitness accounts.

He couldn't help but grin at his concerned little citizens.


End file.
